Israel’s chareidi political parties are adjusting their Election Day operations in response to new restrictions on collecting and reporting voter information at polling stations, prompting campaign organizers to establish alternative systems for monitoring turnout and identifying supporters who have not yet voted.

The changes come ahead of Tuesday’s Knesset elections, when United Torah Judaism and Shas are expected to mobilize extensive networks of activists to encourage voters to reach the polls.

For years, party organizations have relied on information gathered by representatives stationed at polling locations to monitor participation throughout the day. The information has helped campaign headquarters determine which supporters have already cast ballots and which voters may require additional reminders or transportation assistance.

Under the new restrictions, party representatives face limitations on collecting and transmitting voter information from inside polling stations.

In response, chareidi campaign organizers are preparing voluntary check-in stations outside voting locations, where supporters will be encouraged to report that they have voted.

The alternative arrangement is intended to allow campaign headquarters to continue tracking participation without relying on information obtained from inside the polling stations.

The ruling at the center of the controversy was issued by Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, chairman of the Central Elections Committee, who determined that polling-station representatives could not transmit information about individual voters to party headquarters through election applications.

The restriction was subsequently extended to digital reporting of the number of voters who had cast ballots at individual polling stations. The court’s position was that information obtained by officials serving inside polling stations could not be used for partisan turnout operations.

The decision represents a major operational challenge for the chareidi parties, whose highly organized Election Day campaigns have traditionally depended on detailed, continuously updated voter information.

Agudas Yisroel has developed a particularly unusual response, establishing what campaign organizers have dubbed the “Sohlberg Headquarters.”

Under the plan, stations will be positioned outside polling locations where Agudas Yisroel has supporters. Voters will be asked to report voluntarily after casting their ballots, allowing campaign workers to update their records and avoid repeatedly contacting individuals who have already voted.

In addition, Agudas Yisroel intends to establish dedicated tents at groups of polling stations, staffed by kollel members who will assist with the reporting process.

The operation is being organized under the direction of Yerushalayim Deputy Mayor Tzachi Brim.

Campaign organizers have adopted the slogan, “If you voted but didn’t report, you didn’t vote,” emphasizing the importance they attach to keeping headquarters informed throughout Election Day.

The slogan is intended to encourage supporters to report their participation after leaving the polling station. It does not suggest that a ballot is invalid if a voter declines to report.

Degel HaTorah is pursuing a different strategy.

Its original plan called for seminary girls to gather in wedding halls and make telephone calls throughout Election Day, contacting supporters and encouraging them to vote.

Following legal difficulties, party organizers reportedly abandoned that arrangement and instead decided to establish an expanded, paid women’s campaign operation, larger than those employed during previous elections.

The operation will focus on contacting voters and encouraging participation without relying on the restricted information from inside polling stations.

Shas, meanwhile, is preparing a highly structured reporting network designed to track voter participation through multiple levels of campaign leadership.

Under its system, one coordinator will be responsible for approximately 50 voters, ensuring that each person reaches the polls.

Those coordinators will report to supervisors overseeing larger groups, who will transmit information to municipal campaign officials. The information will ultimately reach Shas chairman Aryeh Deri through a dedicated computerized system.

Shas is also expected to operate reporting stations outside polling locations.

The different approaches illustrate the importance all three chareidi factions attach to maximizing turnout, particularly in an election in which smaller political movements are attempting to attract voters dissatisfied with the established parties.

The campaign comes amid continuing tensions over the military draft controversy, which has generated anger among some chareidi voters and raised concerns within the established parties about potential defections or abstentions.

With the election approaching, party officials are attempting to ensure that supporters who intend to vote actually reach their polling stations.

The new restrictions mean that campaign workers will have to rely more heavily on voluntary reporting, telephone outreach, and neighborhood-level organization rather than the automated voter information systems used in previous elections.

For the chareidi parties, the challenge is substantial. Their ability to mobilize voters has long been regarded as one of their principal electoral strengths, particularly in closely contested elections where relatively small changes in turnout can affect the distribution of Knesset seats.

The elaborate preparations now underway reflect their determination to preserve that advantage despite the court’s restrictions, with extensive networks of volunteers and paid workers expected to operate throughout Election Day.