Blow to Likud before Election Day: The Supreme Court's Dramatic Decision

The Supreme Court accepted, by a majority of two judges against one, the petition against the directive of the Central Elections Committee, and ruled a ban on digital counting of voters at polling stations and the transfer of data to parties in real time. Likud opposed the petition.

The Supreme Court accepted, by a majority of two judges against one, the petition filed by the 'Israeli Democracy Guard' organization against the directive of the Central Elections Committee. The decision prohibits members of polling station committees and party observers from digitally counting the number of voters at the polling station during Election Day and transferring data in real time to the parties. Judges Khaled Kabub and Ruth Ronen were in the majority, against the dissenting opinion of Judge David Mintz. The state, representing the Attorney General and the Elections Committee, sought to reject the petition, arguing that the directive does not allow the collection of personal information. Likud argued that the quantitative count was intended to oversee the purity of the elections and to assist in voter turnout. The 'Democracy Guard' welcomed the decision as a victory for the purity of the elections and the principle of administrative legality.