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NEWS
UTJ Election Results
by Betzalel Kahn
United Torah Jewry received a total increase of 10,000 votes
in comparison to the previous elections due primarily to the
natural population increase in chareidi cities, which
overcame the out-migration in recent years of thousands of
families that have moved to burgeoning towns such as Beit
Shemesh, Beitar Illit, Modi'in Illit, Elad, Tel Tzion,
Rechasim, Netivot and others. The election returns clearly
indicate that calls by maranan verabonon to vote and
work for the UTJ list prevailed over public apathy, bringing
UTJ voters to the polls en masse.
In addition to 10 percent increases in Jerusalem and Bnei
Brak, Beit Shemesh tripled the number of UTJ votes, Modi'in
Illit (Kiryat Sefer-Brachfeld) doubled the number of votes
and Beitar Illit posted a 57 percent increase. Concerted
efforts by UTJ campaign workers in Elad helped increase the
number of UTJ voters in Elad from 85 to 2,299 (660 UTJ voters
participated in city council elections two-and-a-half years
ago).
Since the previous elections two huge chareidi neighborhoods
were added to Beit Shemesh, Achuzat Brachfeld joined Modi'in
Illit and in Beitar Illit, Givat Beit was recently occupied.
Elad, which hardly existed at the last election, has since
become a bona fide city. In Petach Tikva, UTJ support was
boosted by the new Ganei Hadar neighborhood, and hundreds of
chareidi families have moved to Ashdod in recent years as
well.
In contrast, significant declines were posted in Bat Yam,
Beer Sheva and Ashkelon because campaign workers for other
parties focused more on chareidi voters than during the
previous campaign. Tel Aviv, Haifa and Rechovot also posted
decreases.
The relatively large number of votes UTJ drew in non-chareidi
towns located in outlying areas was largely due to concerted
efforts by hundreds of avreichim who participated in
daily canvassing drives, as well as regular long-term
activity by various kiruv organizations and
advertising broadcasts.
MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni attributed the decreases in non-chareidi
areas to the low voter turnout in the general public. "Some
places have a decrease in the number of voters and an
increase in percentages. In the general totals there are
mixed population centers where there was a [percentage]
increase and there are places where there was a real
increase. In places of chareidi concentrations the low
turnout in the general public did not have an effect. In
fact, there was an increase. But among our supporters from
the secular and traditional sectors, voting rates were
low."
Rabbi Gafni said concerns during the campaign--even on
Election Day itself--that the general apathy around the
country would affect the chareidi sector proved unwarranted.
"This sector is loyal to its rabbonim and conforms to daas
Torah. In this area there is an extraordinary kiddush
Hashem. The general atmosphere prevailing in these
superfluous elections did not affect the chareidi public, and
the moment gedolei Torah came out so resolutely, the
entire public was with them. We saw this in every location,
in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Beitar Illit, Modi'in Illit, Beit
Shemesh, and in various other places. The traditional and
secular sectors also voted for us, but the voting rates among
them were lower, and therefore we had a decrease in the
number of votes."
UTJ also continued to receive Arab votes in various towns and
cities, although support for chareidi lists decreased in
these elections.
UTJ received a final total of 132,764 votes after the votes
by military personnel and other special voting groups were
tallied, posting a total increase of approximately 10,000
votes in comparison to the previous elections almost four
years ago in May 1999.
Voting Details
Over 1,000 votes for UTJ were cast in each of the following
towns and cities (the number in parentheses indicates the
number of votes for UTJ in the previous elections):
Jerusalem - 38,299 (35,134)
Bnei Brak - 32,346 (28,808)
Ashdod - 6,689 (4,845)
Modi'in Illit - 6,097 (3,021)
Petach Tivkah - 3,738 (3,375)
Beit Shemesh - 3,494 (1,279)
Beitar Illit - 3,375 (2,156)
Tel Aviv - 2,932 (3,693)
Haifa - 2,859 (3,004)
Elad - 2,299 (85)
Netanya - 2,124 (2,472)
Rechovot - 1,714 (1,781)
Rechasim - 1,214 (1,084)
Ofakim - 1,080 (1,067)
The following is a partial list of cities and towns around
the country that posted fewer than 1,000 UTJ votes each:
Afula - 127 (244)
Ajor - 20 (0)
Arad - 627 (485)
Ashkelon - 669 (1,188)
Bat Yam - 651 (1,463)
Beer Sheva - 784 (1,384)
Beit El - 28 (76)
Beit Shean - 180 (324)
Carmiel - 290 (215)
Chadera - 747 (704)
Chatzor - 493 (510)
Chevron - 3 (23)
Chofetz Chaim - 36 (96)
Cholon - 511 (994)
Dimona - 294 (274)
Eilat - 67 (589)
Eliyakim - 191 (55)
Elkana - 21 (30)
Emanuel - 330 (365)
Givatayim - 200 (212)
Givat Shmuel - 122 (73)
Givat Ze'ev - 165 (124)
Herzlia - 467 (489)
Kfar Chabad - 44 (222)
Kfar Haro'eh - 10 (0)
Kfar Saba - 293 (290)
Kibbutz Ein Sarid - 80 (113)
Kiryat Arba - 24 (226)
Kiryat Ata - 553 (652)
Kiryat Gat - 610 (536)
Kiryat Malachi - 134 (304)
Kiryat Ono - 164 (98)
Kiryat Shmonah - 90 (99)
Kochav Yaakov (Tel Tzion) - 247 (45)
Komemiyus - 125 (113)
Lod - 244 (334)
Migdal Ha'emek - 109 (146)
Modi'in 90 (41)
Natzeret Illit - 82 (226)
Netivot - 774 (604)
Peki'in - 36 (32)
Raanana - 394 (467)
Ramat Gan - 854 (884)
Ramat Hasharon - 355 (255)
Ramle - 154 (300)
Rishon Letzion - 799 (999)
Rosh HaAyin - 509 (130)
Sderot - 111 (452)
Savion - 7 (8)
Tiberius - 597 (493)
Tifrach - 439 (334)
Tzefas - 724 (804)
Yerucham - 355 (380)
Yesodot - 172 (186)
Yoknaam Illit - 143 (90)
Zichron Yaakov - 429 (396)
The following UTJ votes were cast in Arab cities and
towns:
Daliat-al-Carmel - 95
Fordis - 21 (281)
Jassar Azraka - 65 (114)
Osafiya - 162 (406)
Um-el-Fachem - 49
Yarcha - 136
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National Election Results
Total Ballots: 3,200,773 Invalid Ballots: 52,409 Valid
Ballots: 3,148,364
Each Knesset seat was 25,137 votes, and the 1.5 percent
threshold amounted to 47,225 votes. A total of 3,200,773
citizens voted in the election out of 4,720,075 eligible to
vote. Voter turnout was 68.3%, the lowest ever for a general
election, according to the Central Elections Committee.
Ahavat Yisrael 5,468 (0.17%), Am Ehad 86,808 (2.76%-3),
Center 1,961 (0.06%), Citizen and State 1,566 (0.05%),
Democratic Action Organization 1,925 (0.06%), Democratic
Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) 93,819 (2.98%-3), Green
Leaf (Ale Yarok) 37,855 (1.20%), Greens (Hayerukim) 12,833
(0.41%), Herut 36,202 (1.15%), Labor-Meimad 455,183 (14.46%-
19), Lahava 1,181 (0.04%), Leeder 833 (0.03%), Likud 925,279
(29.39%-38), Men's Rights in the Family (Ra-ash) 1,284
(0.04%), Meretz 164,122 (5.21%-6), National Democratic
Assembly (Balad) 71,299 (2.26%-3), National Religious Party
(Mafdal) 132,370 (4.20%-6), National Unity (HaIchud HaLeumi)
173,973 (5.53%-7), Progressive National Alliance 20,571
(0.65%), Shas 258,879 (8.22%-11), Shinui 386,535 (12.28%-15),
Torah and Shabbat Judaism 135,087 (4.29%-5), Tzomet 2,023
(0.06%), United Arab List 65,551 (2.08%-2), Yisrael Aheret
7,144 (0.23%), Yisrael B`Aliya 67,719 (2.15%-2), Za-am-Social
Justice 894 (0.03%).
Party Percentage of Jewish vote
Likud 31.9, Labor 15.2, Shas 8.9, Meretz 5.2, National Union
6, United Torah Judaism 4.8, National Religious Party 4.6,
Yisrael b'Aliyah 2.4, One Nation 2.4, Herut 1.2, Ale Yarok
1.1, Balad 0, Democratic Front 0,
Party Percentage of Arab vote
Likud 2.3, Labor 6.3, Shas 2.4, Meretz 4.2, Shinui 0,
National Union 0.4, United Torah Judaism 0, National
Religious Party 0, Yisrael b'Aliyah 0.4, One Nation 5, Herut
0.1, Ale Yarok 0, Balad 21.4, Democratic Front 18.8,
Progressive National Alliance 7, Hadash 28.8,
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