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AFP, JERUSALEM - Members of Israel's governing Kadima party were voting for a new leader on Wednesday, with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni favoured by opinion polls to replace scandal-plagued Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Livni, who was expected to benefit if turnout proved high, urged Kadima members to come out and vote for a new party leader -- who could go on to become prime minister.
"People know they can make a change," she said after casting her ballot in Tel Aviv.
"The change begins here, at the polling booth," said Livni, whose reputation for integrity has kept her out of the scandals that have plagued Kadima and Olmert.
With five hours to go before polls were due to close, turnout by 5 pm (1400 GMT) was estimated at only 20 percent, but many party members were expected to vote after work.
Despite Livni's commanding lead, her main rival, Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz remained upbeat.
"I stand behind my belief that I am going to win," the hawkish former general said after voting near Tel Aviv.
Two other ministers trailed far behind.
The election looks unlikely to end the political turmoil brought on by graft accusations against Olmert, as it remains uncertain whether the new Kadima leader will get enough support to form a government and take over the premiership.
The political turbulence further dims chances of reaching a Middle East peace deal by the end of the year, a goal Olmert and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas had set at a US conference that relaunched talks last November.
Olmert, who announced on July 30 that he would step down once his Kadima party has picked a new leader, has faced public uproar over a string of graft investigations that could lead to criminal charges against him.
Kadima was expected to announce the name of its new leader early on Thursday if the winner garners at least 40 percent. Otherwise, the top two vote-getters will head to a September 24 run-off election.
But Olmert is likely to wait until after the Jewish New Year celebrations and formally resign early next month, according to Israeli media.
The new party leader will have to assemble a majority in the 120-member parliament or Knesset, during which time Olmert may head an interim government.
Should Kadima fail to gain sufficient parliamentary support within 42 days, snap elections will be held three months later.
Polls on voting intentions among registered Kadima members have consistently given a clear advantage to Livni, with one survey on Monday putting her 20 points ahead of Mofaz, with 48 percent.
But editorialists are clearly not overwhelmed by either candidate.
"It is not an easy choice. Choosing between Tzipi Livni and Shaul Mofaz is like choosing between two shades of grey," the top-selling Yediot Aharonot said on Wednesday.
The Maariv newspaper for its part called Livni "the current great white hope of the Israeli centre, of Kadima. On the other hand, she is also a gamble."
As for Mofaz, Maariv noted his "security experience, hard work, toughness and cautiousness," but said it was unclear whether he is ready for the job. "Here too, we're facing a gamble."
Like Olmert the two contenders had left Likud to join Kadima under the leadership of the party's founder Ariel Sharon in late 2005, but they are running on sharply contrasting platforms.
Livni, 50, dubbed Israel's most powerful woman, advocates withdrawing from most of the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem in order to reach a two-state solution.
Mofaz, 59, a former army chief of staff and defence minister opposes making gestures to boost the secular Palestinian president as long as the Islamist Hamas movement controls the Gaza Strip.
No major incidents were reported by early evening though aides to Livni filed a complaint claiming a man was caught on tape admitting that he was paid to vote for Mofaz, media said.
About 74,000 party members were eligible to vote.
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