Haredi Parties Condemn Ban on Election Data Tracking by Judge Solberg

Haredi political parties in Israel strongly opposed the decision made on Tuesday evening by Judge Noam Solberg, chairman of the Central Elections Committee, to prohibit the use of smartphone applications by party representatives at polling stations to monitor and report voter turnout data during election day. Representatives from Agudat Yisrael accused the decision of being disconnected and directly harming Haredi parties, suggesting it was an attempt to "steal the elections." Shas responded with the phrase, "The more they answer, the more it will increase and break through."

Before the Likud party began using the Elector app to track turnout percentages, Haredi factions had established comprehensive monitoring centers on election day. These centers not only tracked turnout rates but also segmented data by specific Hasidic sects, neighborhoods, and cities with significant Haredi populations. Polling station representatives, who often use kosher phones without smart apps, would call the party’s central monitoring center after each voter entered the booth to update turnout figures. Party headquarters continuously analyzed turnout by Hasidic groups and locations, enabling senior party officials and Knesset members to communicate with activists in areas with low turnout and dispatch leaders to encourage voters and address any difficulties.

Judge Solberg ruled that sharing information about the act of voting, including the time and type of polling station, violates privacy laws and is not authorized under election laws without explicit permission. He warned that violating this ruling could lead to criminal and civil penalties, including significant fines from the Privacy Protection Authority. The decision followed a petition filed by attorney Shahar Ben Meir, supported by Tel Aviv University's Privacy Protection Clinic, arguing that the practice infringes on voter privacy and election secrecy.

Likud, which has long used the Elector app, also criticized the ruling. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi accused Judge Solberg of treating the Elections Committee as a venue to change election rules arbitrarily, claiming the decision undermines all parties’ ability to mobilize voters, especially right-wing voters not organized in official campaign headquarters. Likud vowed to circumvent the ruling by any means necessary.

Coalition members are discussing ways to overcome the decision, including potentially petitioning the Supreme Court or pursuing legislation to override the ban despite the Knesset recess. Legal sources noted that such legislation would require a government bill and broad opposition agreement on both the substance and the legislative process, given the sensitive timing during the election period.