Voter turnout at the polls in Beit Shemesh is reportedly “extremely high” registering 61% at 19:00, as compared to 45% in the first election some five months ago.
About 500 policepersons are deployed in the city to maintain order as the polls are scheduled to close at 22:00. Channel 10 TV News reports voting is relatively low in the chareidi sector and unusually high for the dati leumi and non-religious sectors, those who are assumed to back Eli Cohen’s bid in the mayoral race.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
I heard that even the Meah Shearim people who always boycott elections in Israel, and didn’t vote the last time, are now voting (for Abutbol).
#1 You heard wrong. At most maybe a few hundred of them will vote (out of about 4,000 who live here). If they would really all come out and vote the election would not even be close.
High turnout is good for Eli Cohen, as Abutbol’s supporters already had very high turnout the first time around (with the exception of those who don’t vote), while Cohen did not. So an increase in voter turnout means Cohen was able to get more people out this time than last time. (Turnout among Abutbol supporters was close to 70% last time, and turnout in the secular neighborhoods was under 40%.)
(Obviously the MS people who moved to and now live in BS.)
Abutbol’s people are privately conceding because of the extremely high turnout in the dati leumi and secular area polling stations
Sounds great for Cohen. EXCELLENT!
Wishes for Shalom in the city. Be a model of coexistence and pleasantness bt sectors. Let everyone have a shul for ravening and schools for their children.
According to unofficial early counting, Abutbol has taken a significant lead.