MK: No Polls 30 Days Before Election

On the heels of the failure of pollsters in the United States to accurately predict the outcome of the presidential elections, Yisrael Beytenu MK Robert Ilyatuv has recommended banning polls in Israeli elections for the 30 days before they take place. In a letter to the head of the Public Committee on Election Law, Ilyatuv said that releasing polls within that period could unfairly influence elections.

Many of the polls released throughout the course of an election cycle “have an agenda behind them,” and inaccurately present information about the election process. Banning polls 30 days before the elections “will allow voters to make their choices without the influence of prejudiced polls.

“There is no doubt that the publication of these polls are an undue burden on the democratic election process that is supposed to be equitable,” said Ilyatuv. “Publication of these polls harms free choice and fairness in elections, creating undue influence on the results.”