Record Voter Turnout in Israeli Elections Amidst Haredi and Right-Wing Concerns
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
Israel's 26th Knesset elections saw record voter turnout, exceeding the previous election's total by 6:00 PM. Parties scrambled to mobilize voters, particularly concerned about lower-than-average turnout in Haredi communities like Bnei Brak. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Smotrich held emergency meetings to boost right-wing participation, while MK Yaakov Asher and Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also urged voters to the polls. A request to extend voting hours was under consideration.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Voter turnout exceeded the previous election's total by 6 PM on election day.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu held emergency meetings to boost right-wing voter turnout.
- Haredi communities, including Bnei Brak, showed lower-than-average voter participation.
- MK Yaakov Asher issued an urgent appeal to the Haredi public to vote.
- A request to extend voting hours was being debated, with Gadi Eisenkot opposing it.
Israel's 26th Knesset elections saw exceptionally high voter turnout, with 66.7% of eligible voters casting ballots by 6:00 PM, surpassing the 57.7% recorded at the same hour in the previous election. The total number of voters had already exceeded the final count of the last election, with less than three hours remaining until polls closed at 10:00 PM. Parties were intensifying efforts to mobilize additional voters.
Within the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community, there was growing concern over the turnout figures. In Bnei Brak, the voting rate stood at 64.3%, below the national average. Analyst Shlomo Filber noted that Haredi voters had not yet turned out in numbers comparable to previous elections, expressing hope that the evening would see an increase. MK Yaakov Asher issued an urgent appeal to the Haredi public, warning that high turnout in Arab and left-wing areas, matching that in Haredi centers, created a "dangerous situation" and an "unequivocal true alarm." He urged people to bring family and neighbors to the polls, invoking the biblical commandment "Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich held an emergency meeting with dozens of local authority heads to boost right-wing voter turnout. Netanyahu stressed the need to "wake people up" and get them to vote, stating that victory depended on it. He also urged supporters not to vote for Avigdor Lieberman, calling him "fake right-wing" and suggesting his party could harm the bloc's chances. Smotrich appealed to leaders in Judea and Samaria to mobilize voters, echoing concerns about high turnout in left-wing and Arab communities and warning that the right-wing bloc could lose if people didn't vote. He also cautioned against voting for parties unlikely to pass the electoral threshold, mentioning Ofer Winter's party.
Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on readers of 'Bخدrei Haredim' not to let Galit Baharav-Miara win. Meanwhile, a request by parties in the Netanyahu bloc to extend voting hours beyond 10:00 PM was being discussed, with Gadi Eisenkot opposing the extension. A decision on this matter had not yet been made.
Rabbi Dov Lando, a prominent Haredi leader, gave an unusual interview to Channel 2000 amidst concerns about low Haredi turnout.
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