Likud to Leverage Opposition Voting Data in Campaign

The Likud party is preparing to utilize high voter turnout figures from opposition strongholds and Arab communities as part of its election campaign strategy. This comes after a decision by the head of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, to allow the publication of voting percentages per ballot box. Initially, Sohlberg's decision aimed to compensate Likud for the prohibition of the "Elector" system, but the party now plans to leverage both avenues.

Likud estimates that voter turnout in opposition strongholds will be very high in the upcoming elections. The party intends to present these elevated participation rates to its own supporters, aiming to motivate them by showcasing the perceived strength of opposition voting.

The Central Elections Committee, on Sunday, approved by a majority of 19 to 11 that party representatives can continue to update real-time information on who has voted and who has not. This decision was initially rejected by Sohlberg but was returned to the committee by the Supreme Court, which ruled it was outside his authority.

Last month, Sohlberg had decided that poll workers and observers would not be allowed to report the identities of voters to their parties on election day. He also ruled that transferring information about the act of voting, including the time and type of polling station, constituted a privacy violation and was prohibited under privacy protection laws. Sohlberg stated that election laws do not authorize party representatives to transfer such information for party activities.

The Likud party subsequently petitioned the Supreme Court, which last week decided to return the matter to the Central Elections Committee, asserting that Sohlberg did not have the sole authority to decide on the issue.