Judge Solberg Bans Real-Time Polling Data, Impacting Likud and Shas Vote Operations

Judge Noam Solberg has issued a decisive ruling prohibiting real-time reporting of voter turnout data from polling stations during elections. This decision disrupts the election-day strategies of parties like Likud, Shas, and United Torah Judaism, which have heavily invested in data-driven voter mobilization tools. These parties relied on immediate updates from polling stations to identify which supporters had voted and which had not, enabling targeted outreach through text messages, phone calls, and door-to-door efforts.

The ruling stems from a petition by attorney Shahar Ben Meir, who argued that sharing polling station data with party headquarters violates voter privacy. Solberg agreed, emphasizing that party representatives at polling stations are tasked with overseeing election integrity, not collecting or transmitting voter participation data. This judgment protects voters' rights to participate without political monitoring.

The ban on real-time data forces affected parties to revert to more traditional voter mobilization methods. While the technological advantage of large parties may diminish, their organizational strengths, such as community networks and established activist bases, remain significant. Experts note that winning elections depends not only on technology but also on effective grassroots organization.

The Central Elections Committee clarified that this ruling was issued under Solberg's administrative authority as committee chairman, differing from previous legal challenges. The decision is expected to reshape campaign operations ahead of the 2026 elections, particularly for parties with sophisticated data systems like Likud, Shas, and United Torah Judaism.