🔴 Live: Hungary election 2026 — TODAY, minute by minute. Daily News Hungary’s independent newsroom is publishing verified updates in real time, with timestamps and context as new information becomes available throughout the day.

The most recent information appears at the top, with older entries listed below in chronological order:

National turnout: 37.98%

Compared to 25.77% four years ago, turnout in the parliamentary election had already reached 37.98% by 11 a.m. This is an exceptional figure. In 2018, turnout did not reach 30 percent at this time, and in the elections of the past two and a half decades, it remained well below that level, as shown in our chart.

Voter Turnout – 11 a.m. – Budapest – 36.98 percent

According to data from the National Election Office (NVI), 36.98 percent of eligible voters had cast their ballots in the capital by 11 a.m. on Sunday during the parliamentary election.

In Budapest, according to data from 7 a.m., 3.45 percent of the 1,271,000 eligible voters—43,889 voters—had cast their ballots. By 9 a.m., 15.96 percent of eligible voters (202,934 voters) had cast their ballots, and by 11 a.m., 36.98 percent of eligible voters (470,230 voters) had gone to the polls.

If you have important information or a great picture, please share it with us: info@dailynewshungary.com

Interesting figures about Hungary election 2026

• 7.5 million voters are expected to cast their ballots in the election
• 293,000 young people will be eligible to vote for the first time,
• Voters without a registered address in Hungary may vote by mail. 497,000 people requested to be added to the voter registry. By Sunday morning, the National Election Office (NVI) had received 293,000 mail-in ballots, of which 50,000 were sent directly to the NVI and 243,000 were cast at diplomatic missions
• More than 39,000 delegates were registered with the country’s 10,047 vote-counting committees by the parties running in the election, national minority self-governments, and independent candidates. According to information from the NVI, the Tisza Party provided the most delegates, 20,000, while Fidesz provided 17,000.

And why is the presence of election observers important? Because more than half of Hungarian voters believe that election fraud is possible, read here the latest survey by the Publicus Institute

Election day offer: Wáberer pledges HUF 300,000 (€770) for evidence of attempted fraud

Businessman György Wáberer has offered a HUF 300,000 (€770) reward to anyone who helps expose election fraud, promising the payment to those who file an official report with the authorities and provide substantial evidence, according to HVG.

The offer would also apply to people involved in the alleged wrongdoing themselves if they come forward and report it. Wáberer has recently taken a clear stance in the campaign as well, previously posting a video arguing that the parliamentary election is about whether Hungarians want the country to belong to Europe or to Russia.

What makes this case interesting is that Wáberer previously held the positions of Prime Minister’s Special Envoy and Government Commissioner.

Interesting fact: This is the constituency with the most candidates

The largest number of candidates in Sunday’s parliamentary elections are running in the 5th electoral district of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County—an individual electoral district centered around Sátoraljaújhely.

Ten candidates are running here: the Party of the Center, the Democratic Coalition, the Respect and Freedom Party, Fidesz-KDNP, the Jobbik Movement for Hungary, the Party of Solidarity – Hungarian Workers’ Party, the Our Homeland Movement, the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party, the Party of Normal Life, and one independent candidate.

The President of the Republic also voted; his role could grow if there is no Fidesz majority

Today, Election Day, is a celebration of independence and democracy, said President Tamás Sulyok—elected by the Fidesz parliamentary majority—in a post published on his Facebook page on Sunday.

President Sulyok was elected by Fidesz’s parliamentary majority, and since then, he has signed every parliamentary decision, allowing them to become law immediately.

If Fidesz loses its majority, the president is expected to veto several bills and send them back to parliament. He has three years left in his term.

Orbán and Magyar cast ballots as Hungary votes

Read their statements following the vote. HERE.

Hungary election 2026: turnout at 9 AM reaches 16.89%

Turnout in Hungary election 2026 stood at 16.89% by 9 AM on Sunday, details HERE.

NVI: Voting has begun smoothly across the country

All polling stations opened without incident for the parliamentary elections, and no reports of extraordinary incidents have been received, the head of the National Election Office’s (NVI) organizational department told MTI on Sunday morning.

Tamás Mucsi said that all 10,047 polling stations across the 106 single-member districts have begun operations without incident, voting conditions have been secured, and the first voters were able to cast their ballots everywhere.

International observers have also been monitoring the voting since this morning.

By the time the polling stations close at 7 p.m.,

nearly 7.5 million voters are expected to cast their ballots, he added.

Read here all news about Hungary Parliamentary elections 2026