| Election Name: | 2018 Tel Aviv mayoral election |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Tel Aviv.svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2013 Tel Aviv mayoral election |
| Previous Year: | 2013 |
| Next Election: | 2024 Tel Aviv mayoral election |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
| Election Date: | 30 October 2018 |
| Candidate1: | Ron Huldai |
| Party1: | One Tel Aviv |
| Popular Vote1: | 91,116 |
| Percentage1: | 46.86% |
| Candidate2: | Asaf Zamir |
| Party2: | City Majority |
| Popular Vote2: | 66,403 |
| Percentage2: | 34.15% |
| Candidate4: | Assaf Harel |
| Party4: | We Are the City |
| Popular Vote4: | 23,604 |
| Percentage4: | 12.14% |
| Candidate5: | Natan Elnatan |
| Party5: | Shas |
| Popular Vote5: | 13,328 |
| Percentage5: | 6.85% |
| Mayor | |
| Before Election: | Ron Huldai |
| Before Party: | Independent politician |
| After Election: | Ron Huldai |
| After Party: | Independent politician |
| Turnout: | 44.17% |
The 2018 Tel Aviv mayoral election was held on 30 October 2018 to elect the mayor of Tel Aviv. It saw the reelection of Ron Huldai to a fifth consecutive term.[1]
The election was part of the 2018 Israeli municipal elections.
A popular four-term incumbent, Ron Huldai had never before faced a serious reelection challenge.[1]
Lacking name recognition when he announced his candidacy, Asaf Zamir's prospects were initially considered a longshot. However, in the months after launching his campaign, Zamir saw his support rise.[1] Before the election results came in, it was anticipated that he would at least force Huldai into a runoff election.[1] As of July, a poll by Walla News showed Zamir in third place with only 11% of the vote, behind Huldai and prospective candidate Stav Shaffir.[3] However, after Shaffir's made clear she would not be a candidate in the election, Zamir gradually climbed in support, posing a credible challenge to Huldai.[3] Some polling shortly before the election showed Huldai with only a single-digit lead over Zamir.[3]
Attacks on Zamir included accusations of crony capitalism related to his marriage to Maya Wertheimer, which made his grandfather-in-law billionaire Stef Wertheimer. Stef Wertheimer personally funded part of Zamir's reelection campaign.[1]
Huldai and Zamir shared many similar political concerns, both advocating for lowering the price of housing, improvements to public transportation, and increasing the livability of the city.[1]
Zamir promised to address housing needs by building the city vertically, adding high-rise apartments along busier roadways that can accommodate such buildings.[3] He also proposed expanding the city center by renovating more distant neighborhoods in order to enable people to live further from the city's geographic core, without feeling removed from the city.[3]
| Date | Polling firm | Sample Size | Margin of error | Vote share | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natan Elnatan | Zippi Brand Frank | Ron Huldai | Meital Leavi | Stav Shaffir | Yair Tzabari | Asaf Harel | Assaf Zamir | Undecided | Will not vote | |||||
| Mid-October 2018 | Panels Research Institute[4] | - | 27.6% | - | - | - | 10.1% | 23.9% | ||||||
| October 2018 | Panels Research Institute[5] | 505 | ±4.4% | 6.0% | - | 25.7% | - | - | - | 7.3% | 20.0% | 35.3% | 5.7% | |
| Early October 2018 | Panels Politix Research Institute/Walla News[6] | 513 | 7% | - | 32% | - | - | - | 9% | 23% | 29% | - | ||
| August 2018 | Channel 2[7] | - | 2% | 45% | 1% | 14% | - | 10% | - | - | ||||
| July 2018 | Panels Politix Research Institute/Walla News | - | - | 25% | 4% | 15% | 3% | - | 11% | 40% | - | |||
The results in Tel Aviv, with 203,018 voters participating of 440,205 eligible, are as follows. Of the 203,018 votes, 194,451 were valid (marking 44.17% turnout).
Since Huldai's share of the vote exceeded the 40% threshold required to avert a runoff election, no runoff was held.[1]
Huldai was seen as managing to both retain his strong support among the city's younger electorate, as well as retain a base of fervent supporters among a minority of the city's older residents.[1]
| Candidate | Party name | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ron Huldai (incumbent) | One Tel Aviv | , Tel Aviv Ahat | 91,116 | 46.86% | |
| Asaf Zamir | City Majority | , Rov HaIr | 66,403 | 34.15% | |
| Assaf Harel | We Are the City | , Anahnu HaIr | 23,604 | 12.14% | |
| Natan Elnatan | Shas | 13,328 | 6.85% | ||
| Source: Ministry of the Interior[8] | |||||