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Israel’s coronavirus election booths declared huge success with 67% voting

The voting booths set up for those at risk from the coronavirus in Israel due to travel or contact with infected individuals was a success.

By David Isaac, World Israel News

The special voting booths for Israelis required to remain in self-imposed home isolation due to possible exposure to the coronavirus were declared a huge success as 67 percent of quarantined voters showed up to cast their ballots, roughly 4,000 of 6,000 people.

Voting hours at the booths were more limited than for regular voters with the planned hours from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Regular voting hours on Monday were from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.)

However, the unexpectedly large turnout caused the Health Ministry to adjust the hours, keeping the booths open until 7:00 p.m. In addition, extra identity check tables were set up to deal with the lines.

The separate booths were run by Magen David Adom as no volunteers were prepared to man the special ballot booths, even those separate sections were set up within them for voters and election volunteers.

Magen David Adom and Israel’s Central Elections Committee worked out a system whereby the voter was met at booth by a staff member in a protective suit who verified the voter’s identity.

The voter was provided a mask, gloves, an envelope with necessary forms and a disposable pen.

After voting, the voter returned straight home to quarantine.

Aside from one case in Jerusalem where a quarantined individual screamed into a megaphone: “Don’t treat us like lepers,” the system appears to have gone off well.

Quarantined individuals in Israel include those returning from countries in the Far East and other places that have recorded a high number of coronavirus cases, such as Italy. Others were quarantined for coming in contact with those who tested positive for the virus.