Election preparations at their peak: "Many conspiracy theories are being spread"
Acting Director General of the Central Elections Committee, Advocate Din Lavna, discussed election preparations, the fight against fake news, and measures to ensure transparency in an interview with 103fm radio.
Advocate Din Lavna, Acting Director General of the Central Elections Committee, spoke with Anat Davidov on 103fm radio regarding the preparations for the upcoming elections, addressing concerns about voter registration and the arrival of citizens from abroad.
At the start of the interview, Advocate Lavna explained the protocol for verifying voter status: "Citizens can check if they are in the Ministry of Interior's voter registry. If an error is found, they can file an appeal. We have extended the deadline for these appeals until Friday to accommodate those affected by system loads." He emphasized that the right to vote is reserved strictly for residents of Israel as per the population registry.
Regarding the initiative to host citizens arriving from abroad, Lavna clarified: "The law prohibits giving anything to a person in exchange for their vote. However, as long as it is a payment for services and not a gift, there is no legal issue."
Addressing the possibility of external interference, the advocate stated:
"It is almost impossible to steal an election. These are conspiracy theories, some of which are echoed by elements interested in crumbling our democracy from within."
He added that the Central Elections Committee is working in close cooperation with security agencies to counter disinformation, such as false SMS or WhatsApp messages claiming polling stations are closed or citing security incidents.
Lavna urged the public to rely solely on official information:
"The public should consume election-related content only from the Central Elections Committee. We will provide all necessary information via our app, website, social media, and broadcast media. Do not trust fake news received via WhatsApp or SMS. Check our official website to verify any claims."
Regarding nursing homes, he noted that although the Knesset did not approve special polling stations, the committee is working to map all such facilities and bring regular polling stations as close as possible, even placing them inside the buildings if necessary.
In conclusion, Lavna stated: "These are the most transparent elections in history. We will publish all relevant data, allowing every citizen to view the polling committee's protocol where they voted on election night."
