Likud to Revive 'Arabs Voting' Campaign Targeting Opposition Strongholds

The Likud party is reportedly reviving its "Arabs Voting" campaign, this time focusing on opposition voters, according to a report by i24NEWS Knesset correspondent Amiel Yarchi. The party plans to leverage a recent, unprecedented decision by the head of the Central Elections Committee, Justice Noam Sohlberg, to publish voter turnout data per polling station.

This data will be used to encourage Likud voters by highlighting high turnout figures in opposition strongholds and Arab cities. Initially, Sohlberg's decision was intended to compensate for a ban on Likud using electronic voter identification devices. However, the party now stands to benefit from both aspects, aiming to motivate its base by showcasing strong opposition turnout, which Likud anticipates will be very high in the upcoming elections.

The Central Elections Committee had previously approved, by a vote of 19 to 11, that party representatives could receive real-time updates on who had voted. This decision was initially overturned by Sohlberg, who cited privacy concerns and a lack of legal authority for parties to collect such data for political purposes. The Likud party appealed to the High Court of Justice, which ruled that the decision was outside Sohlberg's authority and returned it to the committee.

In a related development, security around the head of the Elections Committee has been increased following police recommendations. The committee's decision to allow parties to receive real-time voter updates was made after a lengthy debate, with the High Court deferring the matter back to the committee.