Israeli Election Committee Partially Grants Likud Access to Voting Materials

The Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, has partially granted the Likud party's request to review election materials. The Likud sought access to materials from approximately 190 polling stations in the Arab sector, where they allege that voter data was used to encourage turnout. The party stated that this practice allowed for the mobilization of voters and they wished to examine the materials to find evidence for an election appeal.

Justice Sohlberg ruled that the Likud would only be allowed to review materials that could potentially support their claims. He noted that some requested documents were already available to the party. The request to access photographs taken by election monitors on election day was denied, as Sohlberg reiterated that such materials can only be provided to the police, prosecution, and the committee's legal counsel.

However, Sohlberg approved the transfer of scanned IVR voting forms, along with notes and decisions from polling station committees. Additionally, the Likud will be allowed to review deletion lists, which indicate registered voters and the times they cast their ballots. These materials are intended to help the Likud investigate their claims regarding voting reports at the specified polling stations.

The review of the approved materials will be conducted under strict supervision by Central Elections Committee staff, with Likud observers permitted to be present. The decision allows the Likud to proceed with their examination but does not confirm any wrongdoing or irregularities at the polling stations in question. This is a preliminary step to assess the possibility of filing an appeal, not a decision on the appeal itself or a change to the election results.