Non-municipal regional councils ready for elections
Voters in 24 areas around the country to elect local governing boards and the people who will lead them
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleStuart Winer is a breaking news editor at The Times of Israel.
Local elections are set to take place in 24 regional councils on Tuesday, primarily in agricultural communities.
The regional councils involved are Be’er Tuvia, Benei Shimon, Hevel Iylot, Lahish, Tamar, Alona, Hof Hacarmel, Gush Etzion, Har Hebron, Arevot Hayarden, Mateh Yehuda, Gezer, Gan Raveh, Drom Hasharon, Havel Yavneh, Hevel Modi’in, Nahal Soreq, Emek Hefer, Emek Lod, Ha’Gilboa, Marom Hagalil, Emek Hamaynot, and Emek Jezreel.
Polling booths will be open from 08:00 a.m. until 09:00 p.m., except in communities where there are fewer than 350 residents, in which case booths were set to operate from 3:00 p.m. till 09:00 p.m. The Interior Ministry set up an information hotline with details about how and where residents can vote, reachable at 1-800-800-508.
Regional councils are one of three types of local government in Israel along with local councils and municipal city councils. There are some 50 regional councils in Israel representing 970 communities. The councils are divided into two for the purposes of elections that are held on consecutive years. In 2012 elections were held for the other 26 regional councils.
In October, Israel held nation-wide elections for municipal city councils and the mayors that head them. Municipal councils are the local government for the majority of Israel’s citizens who live in towns and cities.
On Sunday, Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar sponsored a bill to have municipal elections declared a public holiday in Israel. The move is intended to improve voting numbers.
Only 42.6% of eligible voters turning up at polling stations in October.
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