Election: Likud Seeks Extended Voting Amid Record Turnout
Four parties request an hour-long extension due to long lines, while Yashar argues the move undermines electoral integrity.
By Yuki Melnyk ·
Likud submitted a formal request on Tuesday to the Central Elections Committee to extend voting hours by one hour, a move supported by Shas, Otzma Yehudit, and the haredi party. The decision rests solely with CEC Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg.
The coalition cited congested polling stations nationwide as the primary reason for the extension. Shas Chairman Arye Deri expressed concern over voter apathy in Haredi and right-wing strongholds, noting that high turnout in Left-leaning and Arab sectors was deeply worrying.
Deri stated that current numbers had not been seen since 1973. He pointed to massive lines in Bedouin communities in the Negev and in Tel Aviv, contrasting these with a sense of complacency in his own political base.
Earlier Tuesday reports indicated that weather conditions might also influence the debate. The Yashar party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, opposed the extension, arguing that no unusual incident justified the request.
Yashar claimed the move was intended to lay the groundwork for challenges to the election's integrity. The party stated the action aligned with claims spread by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day.
Justice Sohlberg now holds the authority to approve or deny the one-hour extension. The request was filed without a specific technical reason beyond the general congestion reported by the supporting parties.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
