Elections chief warns that challenging results poses a real danger to democracy

Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, who chairs the Central Election Committee, presented the official results of the October 27 Knesset elections to President Isaac Herzog on November 4. The ceremony took place at the President's Residence in Jerusalem. In his address, Sohlberg highlighted the human element behind the statistical outcomes, noting that tens of thousands of citizens worked to ensure the democratic process functioned correctly.

The elections chief drew attention to the unique cooperation observed at polling stations across the country. Representatives from different political factions, some with deep historical divisions, worked side by side to monitor one another and ensure integrity. Sohlberg described this as a meeting of fraternity, comparing it to partnerships found in the IDF, hospitals, and other sectors of Israeli society. He noted that while these collaborations do not erase fundamental societal divisions, they demonstrate a shared commitment to managing disputes through the ballot box rather than force.

Addressing a point that clouds the celebration, Sohlberg acknowledged voices seeking to challenge the validity of the election results. He described this skepticism as a real danger to democracy, arguing that the peaceful change of government relies on the understanding that the voters' decision is binding on all citizens. Citing the wisdom of the sages, he warned that without such respect for democratic rules, society could regress into a state where the strongest prevail.

The justice emphasized that the State of Israel has consistently recognized voter decisions since its establishment, even when results were surprising. He stated that this path is foundational to the country's resilience. While admitting that suspicions have been raised and some are serious, he clarified that these are currently only suspicions. Thorough clarifications are underway, and the intelligence picture was presented to committee members on behalf of the Shin Bet head.

Sohlberg stressed that even if suspicions are verified, their potential influence is limited. He explained that it is not possible to delay the publication of results to extend the term of a Knesset that has completed its fixed term. The Basic Law: The Knesset sets a strict time frame for this process. He added that the suspicions do not specifically cast aspersions on the votes of the Arab community, welcoming high voting rates from all communities.

The Central Elections Committee is responsible for conducting the elections but is not an investigative authority. Detailed complaints regarding suspected wrongdoing have been forwarded to the Shin Bet, the police, and the Privacy Protection Authority. Sohlberg placed his trust in these agencies to conduct the necessary work. He noted that the committee recently conducted an operation to monitor election integrity, examining all polling materials and filtering requests to determine whether they were criminal, administrative, or related to the election process itself.

Concluding his speech, Sohlberg referenced the weekly Torah portion, Hayei Sarah, to offer a lesson for the upcoming phase of government formation. He pointed to two biblical negotiations that seemed hopeless but resulted in agreements based on mutual understanding. He urged that the political dispute should continue, as is healthy, but that all parties must agree that the legally determined results are binding.

Sohlberg expressed gratitude to the thousands of workers, volunteers, and staff members who managed the complex election task. He specifically thanked Dean Livne, the head of the Central Elections Committee staff, for steering the process through difficult times. The final results showed that 5,717,397 men and women went to vote, a decision that Sohlberg said must be respected by all.