High Voter Turnout May Prevent Small Parties From Crossing Threshold
Translated & summarized from Haaretz by baba
High voter turnout in Israel's elections, potentially reaching 80%, is making it difficult for smaller parties like those led by Ofer Winter and Yoaz Hendel to cross the electoral threshold. This increased turnout could require 190,000 to 210,000 votes, significantly more than in previous elections. Both Winter and Hendel expressed confidence in their parties' chances, though Winter acknowledged the possibility of falling short. Hendel also outlined his party's conditions for joining a future government.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- High voter turnout of 66.7% by 6 PM may prevent small parties from crossing the electoral threshold.
- Between 190,000 and 210,000 votes may be needed to pass the threshold, a significant increase.
- Ofer Winter's Am Israel party and Yoaz Hendel's Reservists party are reportedly close to the threshold.
- Ofer Winter stated his party aims for 180,000 votes but acknowledged potential failure.
- Yoaz Hendel expressed confidence and outlined conditions for his party joining a government.
High voter turnout recorded throughout the day is expected to make it very difficult for smaller parties to cross the electoral threshold. The overall voter turnout measured by 6:00 PM was 66.7%, the highest ever recorded by that hour. If the current voting pace continues, the final turnout could reach approximately 80%. In such a scenario, between 190,000 and 210,000 votes would be needed to pass the electoral threshold, tens of thousands more than in the previous election in 2022. Recent polls indicated that two parties, the Am Israel party led by Ofer Winter and the Reservists party led by Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelicha, were hovering around the threshold. These polls were based on a voter turnout similar to the 2022 election, slightly over 70%. A significant increase in actual turnout would worsen their position, moving them further from the threshold.
Winter stated in a statement that his party is preparing to garner around 180,000 votes, but even this may not be enough to pass the threshold. Earlier, Winter told Haaretz that his party would "pass and by a lot," but if not, he would say he "acted out of diligence and belief that this was the best thing that needed to be done for the people of Israel." When asked if he would serve as defense minister in a government led by Gadi Eisenkot, Winter said no, citing ideological differences. Yoaz Hendel expressed confidence in his party's chances of crossing the threshold, telling Galei Tzahal that there has been "an increase and momentum towards us" in recent days. Hendel also stated his party would not join a government alongside Haredi or Arab parties, adding that a prime minister would be one who forms a government without Arab and Haredi parties and with the maximum number of Zionist parties.
Mentioned
