Voter turnout in Israel's third election in 12 months remained strong by late evening, marking a 21-year high, the Central Elections Committee said Monday.
By 8pm, 65.6% of voters - 4,223,012 people in total - had cast their vote in the third Knesset elections in less than a year, despite fears that the repeated process and worries over coronavirus would have a detrimental impact on enthusiasm. The turnout is the highest since 1999 and at least 1.9% higher since the national ballot last September when by 6pm the turnout stood at 63.7%. In April's vote the turnout was 61.3% by the same hour.
4 View gallery
A child puts an envelope into ballot box at polling station in Gaza border region
(Photo: Barel Efraim )
By 6pm, 56.3% of voters - 3,634,474 in total - had cast a vote, the highest since 1999. In the September vote, the turnout was 2.8% higher by the same hour, standing at 53.5%. In April's vote the turnout was 52% by the same hour.
By 4pm, 41% of voters - 3,033,521 in total - had voted, also the highest number since 1999. In the September 2019 elections, 36.5% had voted by this hour and in April 2019, 35.8% had voted. By 2pm, 38.1% of voters - 2,460,462 in total - had cast a vote, the highest percentage since the national vote in 2013. In the September 2019 elections, 44.3% had voted by this hour and in April 2019, 42.8% had voted.
Earlier in the day it seemed the voter turnout would break a new record since by 12 o'clock the number also reached 21-year high, with 27.6% of voters - 1,782,128 in total - casting a vote.
The turnout for the last election in September 2019 was 26.8% by noon.
4 View gallery
An Israeli is accompanied by her child and her dog as she votes in Tel Aviv
(Photo: AFP)
The turnout by noon was once again the highest since 1999, when Ehud Barak beat incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu to become prime minister.
Netanyahu earlier Monday praised the electoral process as he went to vote his wife Sara in Jerusalem.
"This is a great democratic right and we should be proud of it," Netanyahu said. "To come with confidently and with our heads held high to vote."
The prime minister also sought to calm fears over the coronavirus outbreak and said every effort had been made to make the elections safe.
"I say with confidence - we are doing everything necessary to address the health issue, you have nothing to worry about," he said.
Blue & White Chairman Benny Gantz also urged people to vote as he cast his own ballot in his hometown of Rosh Ha'Ayin.
"I call on all citizens - those who support and those who do not - to vote as they see fit … and not to pulled in by the lies and certainly not by violence," he said.
"This day is a festival of Israeli democracy," the former IDF chief said.
The call to get out to vote was echoed by the other parties leaders as they cast their ballots Monday.
Health Minister Yaakov Litzman of United Torah Judaism urged the ultra-Orthodox population to go vote in response to what he called the "constant humiliation of Israel's religious population."
In Jerusalem, a stronghold for religious parties, the voters said that casting their ballots in this election feels like a "commandment" to them due to the "persecution" of the religious population in the country.
"There is a feeling that haters of religion are raising their heads, and an atmosphere of anti-Semitism," said Rabbi Yehuda Levinger, who voted for United Torah Judaism.
His political opponent , the fervently secular Avigdor Liberman, considered the kingmaker of the elections, said that every vote mattered.
"I call on the silent majority to come out and vote," he said, "This is an important ballot... it is up to all of you."
First published: 15:21, 03.02.20