Supreme Court Bans Election App Tracking Non-Voters

Israel's Supreme Court has prohibited the use of the 'Elector' application, which allowed political parties to receive real-time reports during elections about citizens who had not yet voted. This ruling overturns a decision made earlier this month by the Central Elections Committee, which had approved the app's use by a vote of 19 to 11.

The court's decision, delivered by Justice Yael Willner, stated that the app's functionality could lead to voter intimidation and potentially infringe upon the right to privacy. The court emphasized that the purpose of election day is for citizens to vote freely, and the app's ability to track non-voters could create undue pressure.

Justice Willner noted that while the Central Elections Committee is responsible for overseeing election procedures, the Supreme Court has the authority to intervene when fundamental rights are at stake. The court found that the app's potential for misuse outweighed any perceived benefit to political parties in monitoring voter turnout. The ruling means that parties will not be able to use this specific method to identify and contact potential voters who have not yet cast their ballots on election day.