Election Day: Tensions high ahead of exit polls
Israel votes: Drama building up ahead of publication of exit polls at 10 pm Israel Time; voter turnout rate hits roughly 60% by 8 pm. Likud's Netanyahu says he's 'feeling good,' Kadima's Livni to watch results with her family at Tel Aviv home
As the various party officials and activists engage in a last-ditch effort to draw more voters, the drama is building up as Israel's political factions are awaiting the results. Most parties expressed their satisfaction with the voter turnout rate, which so far has been higher than the figures posted in the 2006 elections.
The Central Election Committee announced that 59.7% of those eligible to vote for the 18th Knesset exercised their right to do so by 8 pm Tuesday. In the 2006 elections, 57.1% of those eligible to vote did so by 8 pm.
"I'm quite encouraged and feeling good," Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu, who will watch the exit poll results with his family at a Tel Aviv hotel, told Ynet. However, Likud officials appear to be concerned about the voter turnout rates, with Bib urging voters to "come out and vote."
Netanyahu's chief rival, Kadima's Tzipi Livni, will watch the exit polls with her family at her Tel Aviv home. Livni's youngest son is on leave from the army in order to be with his mother on her big day.
Meanwhile, Labor Party Chairman Ehud Barak will also watch the exit poll results at his home. Labor officials are confused at this time as they are unsure whether a high voter turnout rate favors Kadima or Labor. However, one official expressed optimism, saying that "we estimate that a high turnout rate is good for Labor, mostly because of the high voting rates among center-Left supporters."
Elsewhere, all of Yisrael Beiteinu's Knesset members and candidates are touring the country until the last moment. Chairman Avigdor Lieberman will be spending the evening with his family, before arriving at the party's headquarters in Jerusalem around midnight.
Attila Somfalvi, Amnon Meranda, Sharon Roffe-Ofir, Kobi Nahshoni, Aviad Glickman, Eli Senyor, Roi Mandel, Yael Branovsky, Ronen Medzini and Ahiya Raved contributed to the report
