Election Committee Warns Voters Against False Claims on Ballots
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
Israel's Central Elections Committee clarified that voters do not need to check for two signatures on their ballot envelopes, as a false claim circulating online suggests. The committee stated that ballot box staff are responsible for ensuring envelopes are properly signed before distribution. Regulations accommodate situations with fewer than the usual two committee members present, with a single member's or an appointed secretary's signature being sufficient if documented. The committee urged the public to vote confidently.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- The Central Elections Committee clarified that voters do not need to verify two signatures on ballot envelopes.
- A false claim circulating online suggested voters must check for two ballot box secretaries' signatures.
- Ballot box staff are responsible for ensuring envelopes are properly signed before they are given to voters.
- Regulations allow for fewer than two committee members to sign envelopes if documented.
- The committee urged the public to vote confidently.
The Central Elections Committee issued a clarification on Friday addressing a circulating claim that voters must verify two ballot box secretaries' signatures on their voting envelopes. The committee emphasized that this information is incorrect and voters can cast their ballots as usual without needing to check the signatures themselves. According to the committee's statement, the ballot box secretary is responsible for inspecting the envelope before giving it to the voter, ensuring it is proper and signed. Therefore, the voter is not required to perform an additional check of the signatures on the envelope they receive. The committee further clarified that, contrary to the circulating claim, two ballot box committee members, not two secretaries, are supposed to sign the voting envelopes. Signatures are pre-applied in batches, not in the voter's presence when the envelope is handed over. However, the committee noted that regulations allow for situations where the ballot box committee composition is incomplete. If only one committee member is present at the polling station, their signature is sufficient, provided it is documented in the protocol. In cases where no committee members are present, an additional secretary duly appointed as a committee member may sign the envelopes in their capacity as a committee member. This means that two signatures are not always required on a voting envelope, and regulations provide for scenarios with fewer than two committee members. The Central Elections Committee concluded by stressing that the responsibility for the proper condition of voting envelopes and signature verification rests solely with the polling station staff. They urged the public to go to the polling stations and vote as usual with confidence.
