What to Expect on Israel's Six Election Night Broadcasts

While election campaign broadcasts are widely considered an effective sleeping pill by most viewers, the main election night broadcasts of 2026 are the most expensive and grandiose live productions in Israeli news. That's why every channel is pouring serious money into its central election broadcast and fighting over big names — and many are also preparing a "secret weapon" in the form of an elaborate, viewer-grabbing comedy break. Each channel also publishes the exit poll results of its competitors to prevent channel-hopping and, in plain language, to keep viewers from "zapping" between the different stations.

One country and six broadcasts

Here's what you're going to see on screen on the first election night of 2026:

Kan 11 and Kupat Rashit in an election special (Photo: Oliver Fitoussi/Flash90/Naomi Greenbaum)

Kan 11's Central Election Broadcast

Anchors: Tal Barman and Tali Moreno

Exit poll director: Dudi Hasid, using sample polling stations across the country

Comedy break: A special election episode of "Kupah Rashit" just before the exit poll results are released.

Between elections and satire: Yonit Levi and Eyal Kitzis (Photo: Courtesy Keshet 12/Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

Channel 12 News Central Election Broadcast

Anchor: Yonit Levi

Exit poll director: Manu Geva of "Midgam Consulting and Research," considered the successor to Israel's veteran pollster Dr. Mina Tzemach

Comedy break: A live election sketch by "Eretz Nehederet" with a response to the exit poll results, plus additional sketches breaking into the broadcast throughout the evening, hosted by Eyal Kitzis

The Israelis make you laugh and vote: Channel 13 News and the "Ma Kashur" trio (Photo: Channel 13 PR/Release Shuli Sun (Courtesy Seret United King))

Channel 13 News Central Election Broadcast

Anchors: Udi Segal and Doria Lampel

Exit poll director: Yisrael Rosner, crowned by network executives with the title "Israel's most reliable exit poll."

Comedy break: The "Ma Kashur" trio returns to their cult show "HaYisraelim" with sketches dealing with the elections throughout the central broadcast, in an attempt to give a ratings fight to the comedy team of "Eretz Nehederet"

Channel 14 news anchor Magi Tabib and the Patriots studio with Yinon Magal (Screenshot/Channel 14)

Channel 14's Central Election Broadcast

Anchors: Magi Tabib from the news studio and Yinon Magal from the "HaPatriotim" studio

Exit poll director: Shlomo Filber (who, as a reminder, signed a state's witness agreement in Case 4000 in Prime Minister Netanyahu's trial, though the prosecution announced its intention to cancel the agreement). The poll itself is conducted by the "Direct Polls" polling institute, and in early surveys Channel 14 was the only one of all the channels claiming the right-wing bloc has a majority to form a coalition.

Comedy break: None, but HaPatriotim is defined as a "satirical program" and it's possible Magal will pull a monkey out of his hat at the last moment.

Channel 15's Central Election Broadcast

Anchors: Miri Michaeli, Nave Dromi and Michal Rabinovich, along with the i24NEWS news team

Exit poll director: Tzuriel Sharon using the "Direct Polls" institute (yes, the same polling institute as Channel 14), and the central election broadcast's advertisement emphasizes that all channels' exit polls will be published to prevent switching to them.

Comedy break: Being a channel that broadcasts pure news without original non-news programs in prime time and after, Channel 15 mainly has serious reporting, but there's a chance some commentator will remember a good joke after midnight.

News anchor Yaakov Eilon in the Channel 16 studio (Photo: Screenshot Channel 16/Moshe Shai/Flash90)

Channel 16's Central Election Broadcast

Anchor: Yaakov Eilon, who will host the central broadcast starting at 8:00 PM and the exit poll at 10:00 PM

Exit poll director: Yitzhak Katz, whose recent polls show the Miluimnikim and Winter's Amcha parties passing the electoral threshold

Comedy break: None. The channel treats news with great seriousness and enormous financial investment and even declares it is "the only channel that separates news from commentary." Perhaps that's what will make part of the public laugh after the actual results are published.

Get off the screen and go vote (Photo: Anna Quelhas/Shutterstock)

General Summary of "The Split Screen"

One country, an average of two televisions in most Israeli homes, and six central election broadcasts all promising the most accurate exit poll results compared to the actual results. Will that be the outcome in reality? We'll need to wait patiently a few more weeks, and even then there may not be a clear decision. What's certain is that you can count on the political commentators not to run out of topics until then.