“The computerized system is taking a little longer than we estimated,” says Binyamin Netanyahu, who is concerned at reports that the long lines at the Likud primaries are causing many voters to give up and go home. “I call on people to come back and vote,” he said.
Ironically, Netanyahu took a noticeably long time in the voting booth Monday morning, and explained afterwards, “We have so many excellent candidates that it took me a long time to decide.” He was one of the first to vote in the Jerusalem voting station at the Binyanei HaUmah Convention Center, after the repair of a technical communications failure that caused a two-hour delay there and in several other polling stations.
Low voter turnout serves the interests of Netanyahu’s rival, Moshe Feiglin, whose supporters are considered more idealistic, dedicated and likely to vote even it takes longer than expected.
As of 5:30 PM, only 20% of the eligible voters had cast their computerized ballots. Many party leaders called for the voting booths to remain open until midnight. The original 10 PM closing time was already extended once, earlier in the day, to 11 PM.
MK Yuli Edelstein, who enjoys the support of both the Netanyahu and Feiglin camps, even asked Netanyahu to agree to keep the polls open for a few hours tomorrow.
Likud Secretary-General Gadi Arieli announced that he would send 100 additional guides to the various polling stations to help voters who are unfamiliar with the computerized system.
Court Overturns Ruling
Meanwhile, a court decision handed down early Monday against the Likud has already been overturned. The Likud will therefore be allowed to announce the winner of the disputed 25th slot – the slot reserved for non-Jewish candidates – and will not be fined 10,000 shekels. The fine had originally been levied for the Likud’s “contempt of court” in not sending a representative to the hearing; the party’s explanation that it did not know of the hearing was accepted.