Justice Minister Yariv Levin decided to approve the request to extend voting at all polling stations until 20:00. The request was submitted to Levin by Election Committee Chairman Adv. Shlomi Bashi after increasing reports of heavy congestion that has been going on since the morning hours at voting centers across the country.
The battle between the two leading candidates, Efi Naveh and Amit Bahar, is reflected in many logistical efforts to maximize their voting potential. At the headquarters of a senior colleague, buses of voters stuck at crowded polling stations are taken out to get them to vote at empty polling stations.
Attorney Efi Naveh will arrive to vote at ZOA House around 18:00 P.M.
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At the main polling stations, the closing time was at 20:00 P.M., but at the secondary polling stations, the closing time was at 17:00 P.M., for which the extension was approved by Levin.
In his response to Bashi Levin, Levin wrote: "In response to your request regarding the extension of voting hours at polling stations in elections for Bar Association institutions, I confirm your authority to extend voting hours at sub-polling stations until 20:00 P.M. The consent was given subject to the extension of voting hours being done in a completely equal manner, and carried out at all sub-polling stations throughout the country, without exception."
Stress, huge queues and displeasure
Many of the complaints about queues relate to the voting center in Herzliya, but other centers are also heavily congested. Huge queues can be seen on social media, with lawyers expressing their displeasure with the conduct of the Bar Association and the conduct of Election Day.
According to many voters among the lawyers, there is a suspicion that this is deliberate sabotage on the part of elements seeking to maintain a low voter turnout in light of the attempt to help one candidate or another.
The approval did not arrive in time - some polling stations were closed
Despite the approval of the request to extend the voting time, a number of polling stations throughout the country were closed about half an hour before the scheduled time at 17:00 P.M., in the districts of Eilat, Afula, Restaurant, Katzrin, Safed.
The decision to extend the operation of the polling stations for the Bar Association elections was made by the court administration about half an hour before the original date for closing them, and without prior coordination with the court administration regarding the possibility of keeping the polling stations located in the courts open until the end of the extension date.
In addition, polling stations were also closed in local affairs courts throughout the country that are not located within the magistrates' courts.
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