The Reservists and Economic Party filed a complaint with the Central Elections Committee on Tuesday following reports of missing and defaced ballot slips at several polling stations across Israel.
According to the party, ballot slips bearing its designated voting symbol were missing from several polling stations, while others had been damaged or marked with pens.
"After Likud's fake news campaign, we received numerous complaints about our ballot slips being defaced or removed," party chairman Yoaz Hendel said.
Yashar party claims systematic attempt to disrupt voting
Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party filed a complaint with the Central Elections Committee on Tuesday over suspicions of a systematic attempt to disrupt voting for the party and undermine election integrity, following reports of ballot tampering at polling stations across Israel.
According to the party, several incidents were identified in which ballot slips marked "Derech," the party's designated voting symbol, were missing, damaged or turned over inside voting booths.
The party said it had received a series of serious reports from polling stations nationwide concerning the disappearance, damage and marking of its ballot slips in ways that could result in votes being disqualified.
"Anyone who tries to steal ballot slips is trying to steal the election. This is a serious violation of election integrity and the fundamental right of Israeli citizens to vote," the party said.
Religious Zionist Party alleges deliberate ballot damage
Earlier on Election Day, the Religious Zionist Party claimed they had received numerous reports that ballot slips belonging to the party and Likud had been deliberately damaged at several polling stations across Israel, potentially rendering them invalid.
According to reports received by the party's election day headquarters, small tears had been made along the edges of ballot slips belonging to both parties, raising concerns that votes cast using those slips could be disqualified.
The party called on the Central Elections Committee to intervene immediately and instruct election integrity inspectors at polling stations to conduct frequent checks of ballot slips to ensure they remain valid.
Yisrael Beytenu and People of Israel say slips missing
Yisrael Beytenu and People of Israel filed separate complaints with the Central Elections Committee on Tuesday after receiving reports that their ballot slips were missing at several stations after voting began in Israel's 26th Knesset election.
According to a statement issued by Yisrael Beytenu, ballot slips bearing its electoral symbol were allegedly not placed at polling station No. 45, located at 10 Gamla Street in Kiryat Ono, when voting opened.
The Central Elections Committee released a statement clarifying that the station in question had ballots for the party.
Similarly, People of Israel reported that ballot slips for the party were missing, and its headquarters had received reports from both military and civilian polling stations that its ballot slips had been turned over, making them appear to be blank voting slips.
B'Yachad files second claim that Likud reps tracked voters
The B’Yachad party, led by former prime minister Naftali Bennett, claims that it has received reports from its representatives on the ground that the Elector app was being used at polling stations in a moshav in the Lower Galilee. The party did not name the moshav.
Following the reports, the party filed a second complaint with the Central Elections Committee.
Elections Committee rejects first B’Yachad claim
The Central Elections Committee declared that claims circulating regarding Likud representatives in polling booths across the country illegally tracking voters using an app were false after B'Yachad issued a formal complaint shortly after Election Day kicked off.
“An isolated report was received concerning photography at a polling station in Moshav Yarhiv. The polling station committee member who took the photographs understood her mistake after the guidelines were explained to her and stopped taking pictures," the CEC stated.
“The committee reiterates that party representatives at polling stations are prohibited from providing their parties with information about whether an individual has arrived at a polling station or cast a ballot, including through apps. These guidelines are binding on all parties and their representatives.”
The Likud party denied any wrongdoing, stating that the party has set up booths outside of polling stations and that voters can volunteer the relevant information.
"This has nothing to do with the polling station ‘representatives,’ to whom voters are required to identify themselves,” the party stated.
Polls opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday at 12,018 polling stations for the country’s 7,331,981 eligible voters, with 36 lists competing for the Knesset’s 120 seats. Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition is assured of a majority, and Netanyahu will remain caretaker prime minister until a new government is sworn in, whatever the outcome.