Reuven Rivlin, an early bird voter

Meanwhile, the president has not yet decided when to begin consultations with the different parties which pass the threshold.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN
PRESIDENT REUVEN Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu face off at the President’s residence in Jerusalem on Wednesday night (photo credit: RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS)
PRESIDENT REUVEN Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu face off at the President’s residence in Jerusalem on Wednesday night
(photo credit: RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS)
  President Reuven Rivlin plans to be an early bird voter on Tuesday and cast his vote at 9 a.m.
Unlike his four immediate predecessors, whose private homes were not in Jerusalem, Rivlin will not be voting at the School for the Arts, which is the nearest polling station to the President’s Residence. He will be voting at the Yefe School in Beit Hakerem, which is close to his private abode.
Prime Minister Netanyahu who in the past did not vote with his neighbors  but voted at the David and Paula Ben Gurion School closer to his private dwelling, this time around is voting with his neighbors at the school in Kaf Tewt B'November Street.
Meanwhile, Rivlin has not yet decided when to begin consultations with the different parties that pass the 3.25% threshold.
It is customary to begin consultations once the chairman of the Central Elections Committee officially announces the final results a week after the election.
But Rivlin did not wait that long after the April election, his spokeswoman Naomi Toledano recalled, and with the consent of Central Elections Committee chairman Hanan Melcer began consultations on the Sunday and Monday after the results were known, and tasked Netanyahu with forming a government on the Tuesday after the election.
Netanyahu did not return the mandate when he failed to do so, instead calling for the dissolution of the Knesset, resulting in Tuesday’s election.
The new election has cost the nation tens of millions of shekels that could have been directed to social welfare and other needs.
Technically, said Toledano, consultations could already begin on Wednesday or Thursday of this week, but no decision will be taken until the election is over.
Rivlin would not have much time on Thursday morning as he has to attend the third annual memorial service for president Shimon Peres at Mount Herzl.
It should be remembered that the president is not duty-bound to give the mandate to the leader of the party with the largest number of combined seats based on the recommendations of the various parties. It is presumed that he will, but in the event of another failure to form a coalition, the president is free to transfer the mandate to another member of Knesset – that is, if the mandate is returned to him.
Rivlin has publicly stated more than once that he will do anything in his power to prevent a third election this year, but it is possible that his hands may once again be tied.