More than 3.6 million Israelis (56% of the eligible voters) have realized their democratic right—and duty—and voted in municipal elections throughout the country. It appears that the 24-hour holiday declared for election day for the first time paid off, as voter turnout this year was 10% higher than in the last local elections.
Jerusalem: Voter turnout was 34.9%, but if we discard eastern Jerusalem – whose Arab residents boycotted the elections – the voter turnout in the city stands at 51%. After counting about 95% of the votes, Moshe Leon leads with 33% of the vote, and Ofer Berkowitz follows with 28%. The two will embark on a second round in November. The losers: Zeev Elkin (20%) and Yossi Deitch (17%). Elkin was magnanimous in defeat, declaring, “The results are clear, and in politics you have to know not only how to win but sometimes to lose. Whomever wins [the second round], I will cooperate fully with him as Minister for Jerusalem affairs.”
Haifa: 45% of the city’s residents took part in the elections – an increase of about 11% from the previous elections held five years ago. After counting 42% of the vote, the turnaround is already clear: Labor challenger Dr. Einat Kalisch Rotem took 55% of the vote. Mayor Yona Yahav took only 37% and has conceded.
Tel Aviv: Turnout was an amazing 63%, up 12% from 2013. After counting more than half of the vote, incumbent mayor Ron Huldai’s advantage is clear: 46% of the vote, compared with 34% for his deputy, Assaf Zamir, who came in second. Leftist political pundit Asaf Harel, who entered politics for the first time this year, took only 13% of the vote. “I thank the residents of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, who gave me their trust in this election campaign, I’m glad that we have shown that a clean and proper election campaign can be conducted,” said Huldai, adding the proverbial rolly-sleevy: “It’s time to go back to work.”
Netanya: Mayor Miriam Feirberg-Ikar, who was under police investigation for corruption, nevertheless leads the way with about 48% of the vote. Former MK Yoni Shtabun (Habayit Hayehudi) is far behind, with 28%. Another challenger, Ofer Orenstein, only took 10%. Feiberberg won the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday morning: he uploaded a video supporting her and called on Netanya residents to come to the polls and choose her.
In Bet Shemesh there is a close battle between incumbent mayor Moshe Abutbul (Haredi) and Aliza Bloch (Religious Zionist), which is expected to be decided by the later-counted soldiers’ votes.
In Be’er Sheva, as expected, the incumbent mayor, Rubik Danilovich, won with a Soviet-dimension 91% of the votes.
The deputy mayor of Bnei Brak, Avraham Rubinstein, was elected mayor with about 83% of the vote.
In Beit She’an, Deputy Minister Jackie Levy scored an impressive 25% victory over incumbent mayor Rafael Ben-Shitrit.
In Nahariya, Zaki Sabag, who has been mayor for 30 years, was ousted by Ronen Manli.
In Efrat, incumbent mayor Oded Revivi barely won, receiving just 56% of the vote, and squarely lost the confidence of the younger Efrat neighborhoods of Zayit, Tamar and Dagan, which overwhelmingly voted for challenger Avi Hadida. Revivi’s list also dropped down to 3 or 4 seats (the final number depends on the soldiers’ votes which have not yet been counted), no longer guaranteeing him an absolute majority in the town council.
Second Round Races, where no candidate reached 40% of the vote:
Lower Galilee Council: over one-hundredth of a percent, Shlomo Nitzan Peleg (39.99%) vs. Asher Cohen (22.6%).
Ashkelon Beach Council: Itamar Revivo vs. Dudi Saada.
Yehud: Yael Meklis vs. Yossi Ben David.
Jerusalem: Moshe Leon vs. Ofer Berkowitz.
Tsfat: Shuki Ohana vs. Nachman Gelbach.
Kadima-Tzoran: Itzhak Golbury vs. Keren Green.
Rosh HaAyin: Shalom Ben Moshe vs. Raz Sagi.
The Winners (in alphabetical order)
Acre – Shimon Lankri
Afula by Avi Elkabetz
Arad – Nissan Ben Hamo
Ariel – Eli Shviro
Ashdod – Yehiel Lesri
Beer Tuvia – Yakov Avivi
Beer Yaakov – Nissim Gozlan
Beersheba – Rubik Danilovich
Beit Arye – Ofarim – Yehuda Eliyahu Elbaum
Beit El – Shay Alon
Beit Shean – Zaki Levi
Beitar Ilit – Efraim Meir Rubinstein
Benny Shimon – Nir Zamir
Bnei Brak – Avraham Rubinstein
Central Arava – Eyal Blum
Dimona – Bnei Bitton
Efrat – Oded Revivi
Eilat – Meir Itzhak Halevy
Ein Kaniya – Wail Mughrabi
Elad – Israel Porush
Eshkol – Gadi Yarkoni
Even Yehuda – Avraham Harari
Ganei Tikva – Lizzie Delherice
Gedera – Yoel Gamliel
Gilboa – Oved Nur
Givat Shmuel – Yosef Brodny
Givatayim – Ran Connick
Hadera – Tsvika Gendelman
Haifa – Einat Kalish Rotem
Hatzor Haglilit – Shimon Suissa
Herzliya – Moshe Fadlon
Hevel Yavne – Moshe Lieber
Hof Hacarmel – Asif Isaac
Holon – Motti Sasson
Modi’in- Haim Bibas
Kafr Qasem – Adel Badir
Karmiel – Moshe Kuninski
Katzrin – Dimitry Efretzev
Kfar Shmaryahu – Serge Isidor Kurshi
Kiryat Arba – Eliyahu Liebman
Kiryat Motzkin – Hayim Tzuri
Kiryat Ono – Israel Gal
Kochav Yair Tzur-Yigal – Yuval Arad
Lev Hasharon – Amir Ritov
Lod – Yair Revivo
Maale Yosef – Shimon Guetta
Mate Asher – Moshe Davidovich
Mateh Binyamin – Israel Ganz
Migdal HaEmek – Eli Barda
Mitzpe Ramon – Roni Marom
Modi’in Ilit – Yakov Asher Gutterman
Mount Hebron – Yochai Damari
Nahariya – Ronen Marley
Nazareth – Ali Salam
Nes Ziona – Shmuel Boxer
Nesher – Roy Levi
Netanya – Miriam Feirberg-Ikar
Netivot – Yechiel Zohar
Ofakim – Itzik Danino
Omer – Fini Badash
Ornit – Nir Bartal
Pardesiya – Tal Gorky
Petach Tikva – Rami Greenberg
Ramla – Michael Vidal
Sakhnin – Safwat Abu Raya
Savyon – Moti Landau
Sderot – Alon Davidi
Sha’ar Hanegev – Ofir Liebstein
Shlomi – Gabi Na’aman
Tamar – Dov Litvinoff
Tel Aviv by Ron Huldai
The Jordan Valley – Idan Greenbaum
Tiberias – Ron Aharon Kobi
Tira – Mamoun Abdel – Hahy
Tower Shams – Dolan Abu Salah
Upper Galilee – Giora Salz
Yeruham – Tal Ohana
Yokneam – Simon Alfasi
Zichron Yaacov – Ziv Deshe