CHART: Israeli Turnout At Record Highs, But Low Among Palestinian Communities

The big news so far out of the election is that Israeli turnout has been massive—nearly ten percent more have voted so far, by time of the day, than did in the last election in 2009. The Haaretz live-blog has been keeping track of the numbers and +972 Magazine just tweeted out this government-made chart showing turnout by hour over the past three elections:

The conventional wisdom was that a low turnout would hlep smaller parties at the fringes; if that logic holds, the high numbers could portend good results for the more mainstream right, such as Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu. That doesn't mean, however, the enthusiasm won't go for Israel's further right characters and parties, such as Naftali Bennett and his Jewish Home.

+972's Noam Sheizaf also tweeted out a link to a website recounting lower than usual turnout in communities dominated by Palestinian citizens of Israel. Turns out the Arab League's plea to boost Israeli Arab voting in order to stave off the far right may have fallen on deaf ears.