Brian’s Election Day “Live” Blog

January 22, 2013 - 10:09 AM by

By Israel Defense Forces from Israel [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Israel Defense Forces from Israel, via Wikimedia Commons

The polls are open and election day is finally upon us. After several months of ferocious campaigning, with no end of surprising twists, Israel’s 2013 vote has been anything but dull. Sure, Netanyahu is the likely next prime minister, but what his cabinet and Knesset will look like is still anyone’s guess.

Will he go with his natural partners – the right wing and religious parties? Or try at least to choose, as most pundits predict, a more center coalition with one or two of either Yesh Atid, Tzipi Livni or Kadima in the government rather than in perpetual opposition? That decision will have enormous ramifications for the next four years (if the government lasts that long, of course).

In our house this year, we are blessed for the first time with four eligible voters. And everyone – especially our two first timers who are now 19 and 21 – are taking it very seriously. So much so that, as of this writing, at 10:00 AM on election day, all the votes in our house have not yet been decided.

Our polling station is in the local Efrata elementary school, all of 5 minutes walk away. But when not everyone knows which way they’re going, that walk is about to turn into four hours.

Instead of voting, we’re going hiking. For now, at least.

Election day is a national holiday and, as on Independence Day, we’re going to be good Israelis and get out into nature. Our destination: the Har Eitan nature loop – a two-hour easy hike with gorgeous views near Sataf, outside Jerusalem. We’ll continue our discussions about who gets our voting slip, for sure. This being tiny Israel, we’ll probably meet people we know and chat with them about the decisions of the day. Or maybe we’ll just talk up every stranger who walks, jogs or bikes b y. With any luck, the mountain air will clear up any last minute indecision.

So, we’re off to the hills. When we returned, sweaty and refreshed, we’ll head to the kalpi (Hebrew for the voting booth) and fulfill our democratic responsibility.

More later today as this “live blog” continues.

Tags: • Category: Politics 

Comments

2 Comments on Brian’s Election Day “Live” Blog

  1. Election Day “Live Blog” on Tue, Jan 22nd 2013 5:53 PM

    2. [...] blog” election day from the Blum family perspective. The first part appeared on the Israelity website only. Here’s part [...]

  2. Ron Fox on Tue, Jan 22nd 2013 7:54 PM

    3. I hope you have a more acceptable result than we’ve had in the U.S. At least, it appears that the Israeli citizenry gives the election it’s proper attention and decision making.
    Good luck!
    Saba

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