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| Jerusalem voters pick new mayor | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Voters in Jerusalem are choosing a new mayor after a hard-fought election campaign that has raised tensions between religious and moderate Jews. | Voters in Jerusalem are choosing a new mayor after a hard-fought election campaign that has raised tensions between religious and moderate Jews. |
| The frontrunners are an ultra-Orthodox rabbi, Meir Porush, and Nir Barkat, a secular city councillor. | The frontrunners are an ultra-Orthodox rabbi, Meir Porush, and Nir Barkat, a secular city councillor. |
| Polls opened at 0500 GMT, and a second round of voting will be necessary if no candidate wins 40% of the vote. | Polls opened at 0500 GMT, and a second round of voting will be necessary if no candidate wins 40% of the vote. |
| Local elections are also taking place in 160 other areas of Israel ahead of national polls on 10 February. | Local elections are also taking place in 160 other areas of Israel ahead of national polls on 10 February. |
| Shmuel Sandler, a political scientist, said a "culture war" was the main issue in the Jerusalem vote. | Shmuel Sandler, a political scientist, said a "culture war" was the main issue in the Jerusalem vote. |
| "It's a battle between the secular and the ultra-Orthodox [Jews]," he told Reuters news agency. | "It's a battle between the secular and the ultra-Orthodox [Jews]," he told Reuters news agency. |
| In Jerusalem, the rank outsiders are the left-wing candidate Pepe Alalu and the multi-millionaire Russian immigrant businessman and football club owner, Arkadi Gaydamak, says the BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem. | In Jerusalem, the rank outsiders are the left-wing candidate Pepe Alalu and the multi-millionaire Russian immigrant businessman and football club owner, Arkadi Gaydamak, says the BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem. |
| But that is according to opinion polls, which are seldom to be trusted, our correspondent adds. |