A community slate, largely representing the Sephardic element, led by a former Mapai local leader, making its first bid in a Beersheba municipal election, won two seats today on the new 15-member city council. Mapai and Mapam retained their five and four seats respectively after bringing in their leading national figures to bid for votes.
The apparent losers were Achdut Avodah and the Liberals. Herut retained its one seat, the National Religious party and Poalei Agudat Israel got two seats on one list and Agudat Israel retained one seat as in the previous council. The new community list, largely of Sephardic origin, was directed by David Chacham, former head of the Mapai branch in Beersheba.
More than 20,000 of Beersheba’s 27, 000 eligible voters cast their ballots in the election. In the last election, two years ago, only 16,000 votes were cast.
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