The United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party is grappling with a major challenge ahead of the upcoming elections: finding new ways to ensure its supporters actually vote, following a Supreme Court ruling that prohibited party representatives at polling stations from transmitting real-time information about which voters have already cast their ballots. The party fears that this change will hinder its ability to mobilize voters and increase turnout, especially against the backdrop of various calls within the Haredi public to abstain from participating in the elections.
In previous election cycles, Haredi parties, including UTJ, relied on detailed networks provided by their polling station representatives. This data allowed them to track turnout rates within specific Hasidic groups and localities, focus mobilization efforts in areas with low turnout, and even contact voters who had not yet voted directly. The High Court ruling, which determined that the transmission of this data is illegal due to a lack of statutory authorization and a violation of the right to privacy, effectively invalidates these traditional tools.
Given the new restrictions, UTJ campaign teams are now discussing various alternatives. One option being considered is the establishment of a dedicated telephone hotline, which voters would be asked to call after voting to confirm they have exercised their right. Additionally, the possibility of Admorim (Hasidic leaders) and rabbis calling on the public to register in a dedicated system after voting is being examined. However, the party is aware that these methods do not guarantee precise verification of the vote and could allow voters who are uninterested in voting to report their participation falsely.
Another alternative being tested is placing activists outside polling stations, who would attempt to identify voters and ask them to provide their names for campaign headquarters updates. This method also faces limitations, as voters are not required to identify themselves to activists. A more decentralized model is also being reviewed, where each activist would be responsible for a few dozen voters, contact them on election day, and ensure their arrival at the polling station, providing assistance or encouragement as needed.
The search for solutions comes at a time when Haredi parties are dealing with factors attempting to lower turnout. Some voices in the Haredi community are calling for a boycott of the elections, partly as a protest against the delay in legislating the military exemption law. Furthermore, anti-Zionist elements, such as the Satmar Hasidic group, are working to encourage Haredis not to participate in the elections, sometimes even offering financial incentives. In this context, the leader of the Lithuanian-Haredi public, Rabbi Dov Landau, sharply criticized the calls to abstain from voting, labeling them a "great crime" and "great foolishness."
Parallel to these efforts, UTJ is working to expand its support base and is reaching out to the working and modern Haredi audience. The new party chairman, MK Yaakov Asher, recently met with businessmen and professionals with the goal of strengthening ties with this demographic, which does not necessarily belong to the core of the yeshiva world. The United Torah Judaism party stated in response that it is "working on operational plans for the upcoming elections to unite everyone."