Veteran Pollster Accuses Likud Operatives of Rigging Election Surveys

Renowned pollster Mina Tzemach has accused operatives associated with the Likud party of deliberately manipulating election surveys. Tzemach, who conducted the Channel 2 poll in the past, stated in an interview on 103fm that participants intentionally provided false information, particularly from the right-wing bloc. She claimed this was the first time such manipulation occurred in 2022, leading to inaccurate results, and that individuals involved even called to apologize and promise it wouldn't happen again.

Tzemach, 90, described the deception as "organized by Likud people," expressing bewilderment at their motives but asserting it was the reality. She explained that election polls typically involve selecting specific polling stations and examining all voters within them. Tzemach noted that while her Channel 2 poll's final results accurately matched the actual outcome, the participants' dishonesty skewed the projections.

She further elaborated that even a small error of two percentage points in a poll can translate to a significant shift of four percentage points between blocs, potentially costing five Knesset seats. Tzemach differentiated between these manipulated polls and general surveys, which she stated only reflect intentions on the day they are conducted. She suggested that some individuals who intended not to vote for Likud ultimately did so at the ballot box, contributing to the discrepancy.