Jerusalem voters have elected their first ultra-Orthodox Jewish mayor in a municipal poll that some had depicted as a battle for the city's soul.

Uri Lupolianski won 52 percent of the vote, while his main challenger, secular businessman Nir Barkat, received 43 percent, according to unofficial results.

Voter turnout was low at 38 percent, a factor which worked in Lupolianski's favor in a city where non-religious residents are traditionally lax about voting.

The city's Palestinian residents boycotted the election as they, along with the international community, do not recognize Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem after it occupied the sector in the 1967 Middle East war.

Many secular residents are worried Lupolianski may now use his power to barricade more streets to traffic on the Jewish Sabbath and divert more public funds to religious seminaries.

"God willing, we will move this city forward together," Lupolianski said. "I will protect the status quo. I will act toward reconciliation and will wave the flag of tolerance," Lupolianski promised. Barkat conceded defeat and congratulated Lupolianski.

Until now, voters in Jerusalem – a city sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians - had always picked secular politicians to lead the municipal government.

Lupolianski, 51, a leading member of an ultra-Orthodox party, broke the mold this year when he was appointed acting mayor after then-mayor Ehud Olmert became a government minister. Jerusalem, with a total population of 670,000, has roughly 455,000 Israelis and about 215,000 Palestinians.

Palestinians see East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.Reuters