Haredi Groups Coordinate Voting in Likud Primaries to Influence Party List

The Likud party primaries are currently underway, with a notable surge in organized voting efforts by Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) factions aiming to influence the party's candidate list. On Monday, Haredi coordinators actively managed polling stations, particularly at the large polling site in Jerusalem's Binyanei HaUma and other locations nationwide. These coordinators pre-registered many voters from various Haredi communities, including both Hasidic and mainstream ultra-Orthodox groups. When these voters arrive at the polls, they are immediately guided by group leaders and handed pre-filled ballots recommending specific candidates.

This method was previously exposed by ynet, revealing that some coordinators hold official positions within Haredi political parties. At the Jerusalem polling station, Yitzhak Gordon, a city council member from Arad affiliated with the Gur Hasidic dynasty and Agudat Yisrael, was documented overseeing voters. His brother, Elazar Gordon, runs the Gur Hasidic voting bloc and is linked to Moti Babadzik, a powerful Likud figure and former chief of staff to Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf. Also present was Shmuel Cohen, Babadzik's former assistant, who now works for Housing Minister Haim Katz, a Netanyahu appointee.

Other prominent Haredi voting coordinators include Yossi Rozenboim, the Albouim family, and Itzik Koifman, a veteran vote contractor associated with MK Dudi Amsalem. These groups have significantly strengthened their influence within Likud over recent years. Despite tensions between the general public and the Haredi community, Likud politicians increasingly rely on these blocs to secure electoral success. Rozenboim, who leads the Likud branch in Beitar Illit and the party's central committee, emphasizes that Haredi registration is community-driven, aiming to protect local religious institutions and influence municipal leadership, especially in mixed cities.

In Jerusalem, Rozenboim and Koifman have allied with Amsalem and Nir Barkat to oppose MK Amit Halevi's list, mobilizing many Haredi voters who typically do not support Likud in general elections. Similarly, in Bnei Brak, council member Aharon Albouim of Agudat Yisrael has mobilized numerous Likud registrants. The close ties of these vote contractors to power centers are evident, with Rozenboim attending high-profile events such as Minister Ofir Akunis's guest box during Trump’s Knesset speech, and Albouim receiving permanent Knesset access from Akunis.

This coordinated Haredi voting strategy highlights a complex dynamic where ultra-Orthodox factions leverage their organizational strength to impact Likud's internal elections and broader political influence.