The Central Elections Committees has for years carried out its activities in the shadow of the election campaigns, and in general, its members know they were acting behind the scenes in order to ensure that the past election campaign went "smoothly," at least from a legal perspective. After all, they have no control over the murky atmosphere. But as long as things are done in accordance with the law, they didn't intervene. But in this current election campaign, as well as the conclusion of the previous one in April, it seems the Central Elections Committee is finding itself at the center of affairs now more than ever.
Immediately upon learning that the New Right faction had not passed the 3.25% electoral threshold when the election came to a close on April 21, New Right leader Naftali Bennett criticized the committee and defamed its work. Mistakes had been made in the counting of ballots, Bennett claimed, and a thorough examination would find the party making up the 1,452 votes it needed to make it into the Knesset. Attorney Orly Adas, a member of the committee for the past 31 years who since 2010 has served as its CEO, responded to Bennett's request and issued a recount. But the recount found the opposite to be true: New Right had in fact been given three votes too many.
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Bennett's criticism really hurt Adas, who at a press conference at the conclusion of the election broke out in tears.
"Our focus here is on the power of the ballot, but we have experienced the full extent of the power of the word, the power of an unbridled attack that arrived at our doorstep and that we had to fight off, including the relentless statements casting doubt on the integrity of the committee and the professional staff," she said after the press conference. "All this was unfortunately done without thinking for even one minute that behind all this are male and female employees of the election committee. We are all flesh and blood, public servants in the full sense of the word."
But before Adas could recover from the election and learn the necessary lessons, the Knesset decided to dissolve and hold a repeat election. Alongside the preparations for the Sept. 17 election, the courts, the police, and the media continued to focus on allegations of electoral fraud in the election that had just recently wrapped up. Amit Halevi, No. 36 on the Likud party's list for the upcoming Knesset, petitioned the Jerusalem District Court, claiming the protocols of some 50 polling stations where there had been suspicions of voter fraud should be re-examined, and that, should these suspicions be found to be valid, he should enter the Knesset instead of the No. 8 on United Torah Judaism's list. A representative from the State Attorney's Office said in one of the discussions that the police were investigating suspected electoral fraud at 29 polling stations, and examining another 107 polling stations at the request of Likud MK David Bitan.
The question of whether to install cameras at polling stations has also accompanied the Central Elections Committee since April. In that election, the Likud brought cameras into polling stations in Arab communities without the committee's approval. When Committee Chairman and Supreme Court Justice Hanan Melcer was informed of what had happened, he banned the filming of polling stations. Around two months ago, representatives from a few parties filed petitions to the committee chairman on the installation of cameras. The committee held a lengthy discussion on the topic, and ultimately, Melcer came to the conclusion that parties would not be authorized to install cameras at polling stations and that their systematic use required the Knesset pass special legislation on the matter.
At the time, Melcer instructed Adas to act immediately to establish a unit of inspectors to be employed by the committee and armed with body cameras. This unit was only to take action in exceptional circumstances. They would not be allowed to record the polling station while voting was underway unless there was reasonable suspicion that a criminal offense was being committed at the ballot box and only with the approval of the election committee chairman. Melcer further ordered the footage be transferred to the police of the committee's legal advisers only, and that their transfer to other officials and/or publication in the media would constitute a criminal offense. It was also determined that once the ballot box had been locked, the supervisors would use body cameras to record the entire ballot-counting process.
At a cost of 15 million shekels ($4.2 million), the committee recruited some 3,000 people (2,000 from the broader public and around 700 representatives from the Israel Bar Association and another 300 accountants) to ensure electoral purity. All of these observers have received training and will be equipped with sophisticated body cameras that meet police standards.
Increased oversight
For Melcer, it was important that the decision to enlist supervisors have the support of all the members of the committee presidium, which includes representatives from the Likud, Shas, Blue and White, and Labor parties. He had members, among them Bitan, sign a document that states: "The committee believes that this framework provides a satisfactory arrangement for all the reservations raised and that taking another path could impair the purity of the elections and the proper order of the elections."
But the government did not suffice with the committee's use of supervisors. It asked to expand the possibility of filming at ballot stations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brought what has been referred to as the "camera bill" for government approval earlier last week. He said that "the proposed law determines that cameras will document the polling hall and not the vote behind the screen. The secrecy of the vote will be strictly maintained. There is no need for special preparation, special training, or special equipment. Every observer can record video with their cellular phone. That is, after all, what happens in every public space: Everyone films … every grocery store is documented with cameras. So the voting hall, of all places, cannot be filmed? Cameras at the polling stations ensure election purity. [This] is simple, fair, transparent and just."
On Monday, the government intended to begin with a lightning-speed legislative process at the Knesset that would see the law pass the three necessary readings in the Knesset in three days. But things took an unexpected turn when Yisrael Beytenu did not lend a hand to the effort, the legislative process was stalled for 48 hours, and ultimately, the proposal did not pass the first reading.
On Tuesday, the spotlight was once again on the Central Election Committee, after Netanyahu said he was about to make a "dramatic announcement." Many claimed the announcement was just an excuse to use the public stage for election propaganda. One member of the committee told Israel Hayom that Melcer was wrong to allow the announcement to be broadcast on all the TV channels and radio stations without first examining its content.
"Instead of making a brave decision, as Justice Mishael Cheshin did when he cut off Ariel Sharon's speech when it became election propaganda, Justice Melcer decided to pass the 'hot potato' on to the media and determined they would assess whether the message was of significant news-informational value in real-time. And should they reach the conclusion that his remarks constitute election propaganda, they would stop the live broadcast at their own initiative. Some of the media outlets did, in fact, do this, but without a doubt, this was the job of the Election Committee chairman."
Deputy committee chairman on behalf of Labor-Gesher Sami Shushan says that despite the pressure exerted on members at times, the committee does its job faithfully.
"There are certain political elements that unjustly attacked the committee and tried to harm its credibility, but I am not a partner to their criticism. I believe the committee and Justice Melcer at its head, together with CEO Orly Adas, are doing a serious … job as far as concerns preparations ahead of the election. Moreover, despite the committee being comprised of political people – representatives of all the parties – I must note that it is run with integrity and fairly."
"Despite the political differences of opinion that I have with coalition representatives, we succeeded in reaching a unanimous agreement on the subject of observers of electoral purity. There is no doubt that the team of election committee members is working very hard, out of a sense of responsibility and the [significance of the] mission."
Anything but another election
At any rate, polling stations across the country are set to open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday. With the Elections Committee wrapping up its final preparations, Adas told Israel Hayom, "In the current election campaign, a few changes and innovations have been brought in that are aimed at increasing inspection and supervision of the election results in order to minimize as much as possible fears that mistakes [will be made]. Nevertheless, the means of inspection will lengthen the time [it takes to] count ballots, which could go on for five to six hours longer than the previous elections. And the assessment is that the final results will not be released before Wednesday evening or Thursday morning."
The committee is set to employ some 45,000-50,000 people on Election Day. Nineteen regional committees responsible for voting and ballot counting at some 11,000 polling stations will be working across the country simultaneously. This is in addition to the standard polling stations, some 230,000 soldiers, hospital patients, prisoners and Israeli representatives in embassies abroad (who cast their ballots last week). The total cost of the election stands at 329 million shekels ($93.2 million).
With a smile, Adas tells Israel Hayom, "I very much hope that the next election will be held on time, in another four years, and not in another few months, as was the case this time."
