The vote is to determine the party's leader for the national election, which is to be held sometime in the coming year. The vote will take place in 330 polling booths at 256 locations around the country, from 10 AM until 10 PM.
Though Peres promised not to run for the position when he was chosen Acting Party Chairman in 2003, he has since changed his mind. His main challenger is Histadrut Labor Union chief MK Amir Peretz, and the two others are Ministers Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Matan Vilnai. If none of the candidates receive at least 40% of the vote, a run-off between the top two candidates will be held.
At present, most polls show Peres leading Peretz, with the other two lagging behind. A Maariv/Teleseker polls shows Peres with 40%, Peretz - 25%, Vilnai with 15% and Ben-Eliezer with 8%.
A poll conducted by Channel Two shows different results: Peres leads with 36%, Ben-Eliezer and Vilnai both have between 14-15%, and Peretz is in last place with 10%. It is widely assumed that on Election Day, Peretz - with the backing of the Histadrut - will make up in organizational ability to 'get the vote out' what he lacks in popularity.
Though Ben-Eliezer stated categorically today that he will not quit the race under any circumstances, Vilnai is waffling on the matter. Party leaders have told Vilnai that since he has no chance to win, his continued presence in the race is liable to lead to a victory for Peretz.
Vilnai himself is reported to be disappointed that he appears to have no chance to even make it to a second round, and will apparently make a decision regarding his future by Monday.
Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak was also in the running until recently, but withdrew three months ago when he found himself in last place. He threw his support behind Shimon Peres - with whom his past enmity was less pronounced than with Amir Peretz. Barak has said privately, however, that he does not believe Peres will win the race. He called on Friday for both Ben-Eliezer and Matan Vilnai to quit the race and leave Peres and Peretz to fight it out.
Peretz, who fears that supporters of Vilnai and Ben-Eliezer are more likely to support Peres than himself, hopes they will not drop out. He said last night that for one of them to withdraw his candidacy would show "a lack of a personal and ideological message, and an attempt to team up against me."
A major issue of the campaign is the future of the national unity government. While Peres is in favor of continuing it, Peretz has said that if elected, he would dismantle the unity government with the Likud within "less than a week," and bring about new elections.
Past Labor Party chairmen since its inception in 1977 include Peres three times (from 1977 until 1997, except for the three Rabin years, and again since 2003), Yitzchak Rabin (from 1992 until his untimely death in 1995), Ehud Barak, Ben-Eliezer, and Amram Mitzna.
Though Peres promised not to run for the position when he was chosen Acting Party Chairman in 2003, he has since changed his mind. His main challenger is Histadrut Labor Union chief MK Amir Peretz, and the two others are Ministers Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Matan Vilnai. If none of the candidates receive at least 40% of the vote, a run-off between the top two candidates will be held.
At present, most polls show Peres leading Peretz, with the other two lagging behind. A Maariv/Teleseker polls shows Peres with 40%, Peretz - 25%, Vilnai with 15% and Ben-Eliezer with 8%.
A poll conducted by Channel Two shows different results: Peres leads with 36%, Ben-Eliezer and Vilnai both have between 14-15%, and Peretz is in last place with 10%. It is widely assumed that on Election Day, Peretz - with the backing of the Histadrut - will make up in organizational ability to 'get the vote out' what he lacks in popularity.
Though Ben-Eliezer stated categorically today that he will not quit the race under any circumstances, Vilnai is waffling on the matter. Party leaders have told Vilnai that since he has no chance to win, his continued presence in the race is liable to lead to a victory for Peretz.
Vilnai himself is reported to be disappointed that he appears to have no chance to even make it to a second round, and will apparently make a decision regarding his future by Monday.
Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak was also in the running until recently, but withdrew three months ago when he found himself in last place. He threw his support behind Shimon Peres - with whom his past enmity was less pronounced than with Amir Peretz. Barak has said privately, however, that he does not believe Peres will win the race. He called on Friday for both Ben-Eliezer and Matan Vilnai to quit the race and leave Peres and Peretz to fight it out.
Peretz, who fears that supporters of Vilnai and Ben-Eliezer are more likely to support Peres than himself, hopes they will not drop out. He said last night that for one of them to withdraw his candidacy would show "a lack of a personal and ideological message, and an attempt to team up against me."
A major issue of the campaign is the future of the national unity government. While Peres is in favor of continuing it, Peretz has said that if elected, he would dismantle the unity government with the Likud within "less than a week," and bring about new elections.
Past Labor Party chairmen since its inception in 1977 include Peres three times (from 1977 until 1997, except for the three Rabin years, and again since 2003), Yitzchak Rabin (from 1992 until his untimely death in 1995), Ehud Barak, Ben-Eliezer, and Amram Mitzna.