Today's Likud primaries were disrupted at several voting places today, a week after a computer crash halted the Labor Party primaries.
In Jerusalem, the voting booths at Binanyei Ha'Uma were opened 90 minutes late after a tractor apparently damaged the fiber optic cable of Bezeq The Israeli Telecommunication Co. Ltd. (TASE: BEZQ) severing cellular and landline communications to the city. The breakdown also affected voting places in Mevasseret Zion and Beit Shemesh.
MK Yehiel Hazan claimed that at voting booths in Netanya, Nazareth, Karnei Shomron, Beit El, and Shilo failed to record his name. He is demanding a recount.
By 2 pm, only 11% of the 99,000 eligible Likud voters had voted. Party chairman MK Benjamin Netanyahu then decided to visit the voting center at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds to encourage voters. Likud secretary general Gadi Arieli predicts that half of the party voters will cast ballots by them time the booths are closed at 11 pm.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 8, 2008
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