Likud says it received 620 reports of 'suspected irregularities' at polling stations in Arab sector

One-third of the reports concern the recording of voters' personal information and the transmission of information outside polling stations.

Likud's election integrity headquarters announced on Tuesday that it had received 620 reports of unusual incidents and suspected irregularities at polling stations in the Arab sector, collected through a network of over 1,500 representatives across the country. 

About one-third of the reports concern the recording of voters' personal information and the transmission of information outside polling stations. Some 66 reports concern irregularities involving ballot papers and envelopes, 26 involve difficulties verifying voters' identities and exercising polling station committee members' authority, and 17  concern violence and threats. 

The remaining reports involve staffing deficiencies, election campaigning, and documentation issues.

Envelopes reported missing

In one incident, 10 sealed envelopes were reported missing from a polling station in Fassuta and in another, a discrepancy of 11 envelopes between the number of envelopes and the recorded number of voters was found in Jadeidi-Makr, the headquarters said.

Likud's election integrity headquarters also criticized an instruction from the director-general of the Central Elections Committee to prevent overcrowding, saying it could undermine adherence to voter identification requirements and voting procedures. 

"The Elections Committee is cutting corners precisely where stricter oversight is needed. We are receiving hundreds of reports of suspected irregularities, including missing envelopes and the unauthorized transmission of information.

"Instead of strengthening oversight, pressure is being applied to prevent overcrowding at polling stations. We demand an immediate investigation into these suspicions, the deployment of independent observers, and guarantees of a proper and transparent voting process," said Sagi Kaisler, head of Likud's election integrity headquarters for the Arab sector.