Election Official Halts Payments for Voter Abstention

The Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Justice Noam Sohlberg, issued a temporary order Friday against the "Shekel Ha'Tahor" association, which is linked to the Satmar Hasidic community. The order prohibits the association from giving voters money or promising payment to influence them to abstain from voting in elections. The order remains in effect until further notice, and the petition is still under review.

The decision followed a petition filed by the Movement for Quality of Government. The petition alleged that the association began distributing $200 "support" payments to members of the Hasidic community who declared they would not vote. This claim was presented to the Elections Committee and is not a final determination that the association engaged in such activities.

According to the Elections Committee's statement, Justice Sohlberg determined that the evidence attached to the petition raised serious concerns of a violation of election law, specifically concerning the foundations of election regulations. Therefore, he ordered the issuance of the temporary injunction. The legal process regarding the petition is ongoing, and no final ruling has been made on the allegations against the association.