Israel's Election Commission Reverses Ban on Real-Time Voter Tracking by Parties

Israel's Central Election Committee (CEC) has reversed a recent decision that banned political parties from tracking voter turnout in real-time on election day. The CEC will now permit party representatives at polling stations to report to their headquarters on who has voted, a practice previously utilized by parties like Likud and Haredi parties, often through an application called Elector.

This reversal follows a month-long prohibition imposed by CEC head Noam Solberg, who cited concerns over citizens' right to privacy. The Likud party appealed Solberg's decision, leading the Supreme Court to refer the matter to the full CEC plenum.

The CEC members ultimately overturned Solberg's ban, reinstating the real-time tracking capability. However, strict conditions have been imposed: data cannot be shared with third parties, and it must be deleted after the election concludes. The Supreme Court had previously acknowledged that such practices could infringe upon citizens' privacy rights.

This decision is subject to further appeal, and any new challenges will likely focus on the permissibility of changing election rules so close to the vote. Likud representatives had previously indicated a willingness to discontinue the use of the Elector app after the upcoming elections.

In related news, the CEC plans to disclose turnout levels for each individual polling station for the first time in the upcoming Knesset elections.