The struggle over polling stations: Supreme Court sends a sharp message to the Knesset — "urgently"
The Supreme Court criticized the rejection of the arrangement that allowed for polling stations to be placed in nursing homes with 75 or more residents, and warned of harm to the elderly's ability to exercise their right to vote. The Central Elections Committee was required to provide an update by Monday.
The Supreme Court, in a decision regarding the petitions for placing polling stations in nursing homes, stated: "Those in charge of election procedures would do well to take urgent action to ensure the accessibility of polling stations for nursing home residents." The judges are requesting an update from the Central Elections Committee by this coming Monday on the matter.
The judges wrote the following:
"The petitions before us deal with an important issue concerning the realization of the right to vote of the public residing in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. In the background of the petitions is the Knesset's decision to reject the request of the Central Elections Committee, which sought to anchor the arrangement that was in effect during the elections for the 25th Knesset, according to which polling stations were placed in all nursing homes where 75 or more residents reside permanently. It should be noted that a similar arrangement was in effect, with certain changes, also during the elections for the 24th Knesset."
"This decision is to be regretted, as it sets back the right to participate in elections and may harm the ability of the elderly population to exercise its democratic right. In order to remove this concern, or at the very least to reduce it, those in charge of election procedures would do well to take urgent action to ensure the accessibility of polling stations for nursing home residents — and indeed, from the state's response to the petitions, we learned that the Central Elections Committee has set this vital goal before its eyes and is working vigorously to achieve it."
"This decision is to be regretted"
"We have noted the significant efforts being made by the Central Elections Committee to enable the placement of polling stations in as many nursing homes as possible, in accordance with the outline presented by the representative of the Central Elections Committee.
"According to what was reported, the success of the outline depends on cooperation from the nursing homes, and we hope that the managers and operators of the nursing homes will show appropriate willingness and will enlist in the important task at hand — providing a convenient opportunity for all residents in nursing homes to exercise their democratic right to participate in the elections for the Knesset.
"At this stage, we order the submission of an update notice by the Central Elections Committee by Monday, 17.8.2026, and accordingly, a decision will be made on the continued handling of the petitions."
