The election for the presidency of the Israeli Diamond Exchange (IDE) ended without a clear victor, with Avi Paz and Avraham ‘Bumi’ Traub slated to meet for a second round on Thursday. During the elections on Monday, bourse members also voted for the Board of Directors and Control Committee.

 

Following a day of voting, that included last-minute campaigning and handing out roses by Avi Paz supporters, polling closed with a 71.86 percent turnout of a total 2,299 eligible voters. Avi Paz led with 693 votes, giving him 41.9 percent of the total votes, but IDE rules require the winner to secure a minimum of 45 percent of votes cast.

 

Avraham ‘Bumi’ Traub was second with 568 votes, or 34.38 percent, and together with Paz will contest a run-off election on Thursday.

 

The third candidate, Avner Haimov, received 341, or 22.03 percent of the vote.

 

The ballots for the run-off election will open 9 am and close at 5 pm in the IDE Gallery. Early votes can be cast today (Tuesday) in the IDE's legal department from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm.

 

The following were elected to the Board of Directors:

Yair Sahar,

Ilan Samuel,

Yossef Siani,

Yehoram Harel-Haimov,

Yehuda Sayag,

Chagai Halevi,

Yechezkel Chezi Blum,

Esti Verthaimer,

Yishai Toppel,

Yitzhak Cohen,

Yaakov Koren,

Shlomo Rabinovitch,

Meir Verthaim,

Nisim Gil,

Nissan Chen,

Rafi Yerushalmi.

 

To the Control Committee were elected:

Efi Lax,

Issar Oren,

Eyal Badichi,

Motti Greenwald,

Gil Massika,

Shai Meiri,

Itzik Lupatin,

Uri Hochfelder,

Alon Schwartz.