Israel's High Court Blocks Digital Voter Tracking by Parties

The decision accepted petitions filed by the Israel Democracy Guard and the Movement for Quality Government in Israel. The legal challenges targeted a clarification issued by Din Livneh, the acting Director General of the Central Elections Committee, which had permitted party representatives to use smartphones and digital means to transmit purely numerical, non-identifying voter counts. The majority justices ruled that election committee members and observers, acting in public roles, lack explicit legal authorization to transmit this data, and cited voter privacy concerns. This ruling aligns with the position of Committee Chairman Justice Noam Solberg, rejecting the committee's plenary view.

The decision restricts the ability of political parties to monitor turnout and mobilize supporters on election day. The Likud party, which had supported the practice, strongly criticized the ruling, accusing the court of interfering in the electoral process. In response to the ban, United Torah Judaism is planning alternative tracking methods, including registering voters outside the sterile zones of polling stations and setting up dedicated tents staffed by students to collect post-vote reports.