Israeli Supreme Court Orders New Election for State Comptroller Over Secret Ballot Breach

The Israeli Supreme Court, sitting as the High Court of Justice, ruled to annul the second round of voting that elected Attorney Michael Regev as State Comptroller due to violations of the secret ballot principle. The court found that video recordings of the secret vote compromised confidentiality, affected the integrity of the process, and could have influenced the election outcome. The ruling was delivered by a panel led by President Yitzhak Amit, with Vice President Noam Solberg and Justices Dafna Barak-Erez, Gila Kanfi-Steinitz, and Ruth Ronen.

Vice President Solberg emphasized that the secrecy of the ballot is not a personal right that a Knesset member can waive, but a fundamental requirement for the entire election process. At least six Knesset members recorded their votes on video, violating this principle. Since Regev won by only a four-vote margin, the court determined the breach could have affected the results, necessitating a new vote. The court instructed the Knesset to complete the election promptly and to establish clear rules to safeguard secret ballots in the future.

This decision follows a temporary injunction issued a day earlier, freezing Regev's assumption of office pending the court's ruling. The election had pitted Regev, the coalition candidate, against retired Supreme Court Justice Yosef Elron, who challenged the legality of the second voting round due to the secrecy breach. Elron joined petitions demanding the vote's annulment and Regev's suspension from office.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir criticized the court's decision, accusing the justices of anti-democratic behavior and vowing a comprehensive judicial reform in his next term. The ruling comes as outgoing State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman’s term ends, underscoring the urgency of resolving the matter.

Summary: The Israeli Supreme Court invalidated the election of Michael Regev as State Comptroller due to breaches of secret ballot rules, ordering a new vote and calling for clearer Knesset procedures to protect voting confidentiality.