Chairman of the Central Election Committee Justice Hanan Melcer has asked Attorney General Avichai Mendelblt to launch an investigation into suspected voter fraud at several polling places in the April 9 Knesset election.
Melcer said that on April 14, he had been contacted by the Likud party, which cited actions that if proved true would comprise crimes.
Melcer reported to Mendelblit that reports of apparent irregularities from Likud officials stationed at polling places in Arab communities included, for example, one case in the village Kasra-Samia, where the voter turnout rate was reported at 97% - compared to the nationwide average of 68.46% - with all the vote totals coming in in round numbers.
"This unusual voter turnout, combined with the round and precise numbers, raises questions and demands an investigation to determine the reason," Melcer wrote.
The committee head also said that irregularities had been identified at a polling place in Afula.
"The records were notably different from the registration in the vote tally books, and even from the ballots," Melcer noted.
Melcer ended his letter with a suggestion that the Israel Police collect all the relevant materials and, under instructions from the State Attorney's Office, look into whether it would be appropriate to view these materials as evidence.
Melcer said he could not disqualify the results from the polling places in question because without a complete investigation into the reports of irregularities, the findings did not meet the burden of proof.
