Polling Opens in Sdot Negev’s Special Council Leadership Election

Voting opened at 07:00 on Tuesday, November 3, in the special election for head of Sdot Negev Regional Council. Residents are choosing a successor to Tamir Idan, whose resignation led to the election. The three candidates are Assi Almasi, Hagai Eldar and Yoni Mamo. The council has 8,171 eligible voters, with 17 polling stations operating for the election. Of those stations, 14 are designated as specially accessible. The opening of the polls begins the voting stage of the special election, following the arrangements announced ahead of Tuesday’s ballot. Most polling stations are scheduled to remain open until 22:00. A different timetable applies in Melilot, Shibolim and Sharsheret, where voting ends at 20:00. Each of those communities has fewer than 350 eligible voters. The published schedule therefore gives residents in those three communities an earlier closing time than elsewhere in the council. The election is being held on an ordinary working day, rather than a statutory day off. In the announcement issued ahead of the vote, Interior Ministry Director General Israel Ozan said, “Election day is a democratic and significant process.” He urged residents to take part in shaping education, health and culture in their community. Voting is due to conclude Tuesday evening under the two published closing schedules.