Candidates in the Jerusalem mayoral race are working in earnest to drum up additional support, as the top three mayoral candidates are only a percentage point apart from one another. Efforts continue to receive support from the chareidi tzibur, which carries significant electoral weight in the capital, as proven in past elections. Chareidim also usually have over 90% voter turnout on Election Day.

Minister Ze’ev Elkin, who is current out of the country, held some important meetings prior to his departure, having meet with city councilman from Degel Hatorah as well as Agudas Yisrael, hoping to earn their parties’ support. He wished to meet with Shas councilmen, but the latter refused, Kikar Shabbos News reported.

Elkin met with the councilmen in the offices of the Environmental Ministry located in Givat Shaul. He met with some of them privately, and then again as a group. Shas councilmen refused to meet, explaining such a meeting could complicate matters for them with national party chairman, Minister Aryeh Deri, who is backing Moshe Leon in the mayoral race.

Councilmen from Degel who met with Elkin are quoted saying the meeting was a good one, providing Elkin an opportunity to express his opinion to them on a number of issues viewed as significant by the chareidi public. This included the minister’s opinion on mixed neighborhoods, Shmiras Shabbos, chareidi housing, local councils (minhelet), and his chances of beating out the other candidates in the race if they back him.

In a related matter, candidate Moshe Leon has also recently met with city councilmen, not just the chareidim but the others as well; as he too is working hard in the race, his second bid for the city’s top post. Giving his campaign a boost, Tax Authority officials have announced that a probe against him, Leon, involving Aryeh Deri, has been closed as there is no evidence pointing to critical activity by Leon.

The most recent election poll places Leon in fourth place, behind Yossi Deutsch (23%), Ofir Berkowitz (22%) and Ze’ev Elkin (21%). Leon is trailing far behind with only 11%.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)