Israeli Election Committee Bans Party Representatives from Reporting Who Has Voted

Noam Solberg, Chair of Israel's Central Elections Committee, ruled on Tuesday that party representatives and observers at polling stations are prohibited from reporting to their parties about which voters have already cast their ballots during election day. This decision targets the use of mobile applications that allow party representatives to update in real time on voter turnout, enabling parties to identify and encourage voters who have not yet voted.

Solberg emphasized that sharing information about the act of voting, including the time and polling station type, constitutes a violation of voter privacy and is not permitted under the Privacy Protection Law. He clarified that election laws do not authorize party representatives to transmit such information for political activity, and without explicit legal authorization, this practice is forbidden.

The ruling followed a petition filed by attorney Shahar Ben Meir, joined by the Privacy Protection Clinic at Tel Aviv University, arguing that the practice infringes on the right to privacy and the secrecy of the ballot by allowing parties to monitor voter participation in real time. Prior to the decision, Knesset factions were asked to present their positions; Likud, Shas, and United Torah Judaism argued the practice was lawful, with Religious Zionism siding with Likud, while other parties did not take a substantive stance.

Solberg noted that party representatives receive voter information solely to fulfill their duties at polling stations, and using it to track and mobilize voters contradicts the intended purpose. He stressed that the ruling reflects current legal standards and does not express a view on future regulatory changes, urging a reassessment of the relationship between election laws and privacy laws in light of recent technological advances.

Parties may still use voter registry information to contact voters, but this data does not include whether individuals have voted.