The Academy for a Democratic Israel has filed an administrative petition with the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Justice Noam Sohlberg, seeking to compel the polling company Next Data and Channel 14 to disclose complete data regarding two polls published in recent months. The petition, filed by attorneys Ariel Nissim and Avital Rosenfeld of Meitar Law Offices, relies on expert opinions from statistics and public opinion researchers, arguing that the reports submitted to the Elections Committee fail to meet the disclosure requirements set forth in the Elections Law (Propaganda Methods).
At the core of the petition are allegations of professional deficiencies, including the use of biased questions that may influence respondents' perceptions, and numerical gaps in the reported sample data. The petitioners presented examples of questions from other polls conducted by the firm, which they claim contained one-sided phrasing aimed at supporting Benjamin Netanyahu or disparaging Gadi Eizenkot, without corresponding questions to balance the perspective. The petition details instances where respondents were asked about negative statements concerning Eizenkot before being asked to indicate their preferred candidate.
Furthermore, the petitioners claim that the numerical data submitted contains omissions and mathematical inconsistencies. For example, they noted discrepancies in reported sample sizes and response rates, alongside difficulties in deciphering how raw data was processed into percentages. It is alleged that the fact that some results do not sum to 100% without explanation, combined with the use of undefined terms such as "layer analysis," prevents an assessment of reliability. The petitioners emphasize that the lack of proper disclosure regarding the full sequence of questions and margins of error makes it difficult for the public and experts to understand how final results were reached. They point to previous decisions by the Elections Committee, which established that the duty of disclosure is intended to enable oversight and control.
The petitioners request that Channel 14 be ordered to remove the poll publications until complete and corrected reports are submitted. The allegations raised in the petition have not yet been adjudicated by the court, and the responses of Next Data and Channel 14 have not yet been heard. The practical implication of this proceeding could be the establishment of new, stricter standards for all polling companies in Israel, aiming to ensure the integrity of the democratic process and voter trust in published data.