— About 1.5 million Histadrut members, nearly two-thirds of the eligible voting population of Israel, went to the polls today to cast ballots in the internal elections of Israel’s giant labor federation, the largest, most powerful non-governmental institution in the Jewish State. The polls opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 11 p.m.
Preliminary results are expected to be known shortly afterwards from key districts and according to experts they will be the most accurate indicator to date of how the June 30 Knesset elections will turn out.
The voting proceeded more slowly today than in the last Histadrut elections four years ago. The reason is that the labor federation decided against declaring a national hiliday, as it has done in the past. The big rush to the polls is expected this evening, after workers leave their factories and offices.
The Israel Manufacturers Association (IMA) welcomed Histadrut’s “wise decision,” observing that the country cannot afford to lose even one day’s productivity. Avraham Shavit, head of the IMA, said he hoped the government would make the same decision for Knesset election day.
II LISTS VYING FOR SEATS
There are 3600 polling stations all over the country, including mobile units visiting outlying districts. The voters are casting two ballots. On one they indicate their choice among the II lists vying for seats at the 1501-seat 14th Histadrut Conference. On the other they select members for one of the 72 district labor councils. Women members are also voting for delegates to the Na’amat Working Womens Association.
The Histadrut Conference, established in 1920, meets every four years to draft Histadrut’s national policy and elect from its ranks a 501 member council which meets every eight months. The council in turn elects an executive committee that meets weekly under the chairmanship of the Histadrut Secretary General. Incumbent Secretary General Yeruham Meshel of the Labor Party is running for reelection. His opponent for the office of Secretary General is Labor Minister David Levy of Likud.
Labor has always dominated Histadrut and the trade union federation is a basic component of Labor Party support. Although it is expected to win today’s elections, its margin of victory is seen by experts as an indication of how Labor will fare against Likud in the Knesset elections.
In the 1977 Histadrut elections, the Labor Party margin fell to 55.3 percent from 58.3 percent in 1973 and 66.2 percent in 1969. Likud polled 28.2 percent of the vote, up from 22.7 percent in 1973 and 22.6 percent in 1969. In May, 1977, Likud won an upset landslide victory over Labor in the Knesset elections.
Political observers say that if Likud can maintain or increase its 1977 margin in Histadrut it has a good chance of defeating Labor on June 30. Public opinion polls to date have predicted a Labor victory in June but the Labor margin has been reduced in each successive poll during the past three months.
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