Labor's unfortunate tradition of voter fraud
Now that the Labor party membership drive is over, conflicting reports over the level of possible fraud and corruption are confusing the public. The number of possibly fraudulent party registration forms was reported on Thursday to be anywhere between 9,000 and 22,000. It seems likely that the final number will be 20,000--in other words, close to 20 percent. This is a very high number for a party that claims to be coming back to life after a long period of bureaucratic aridity.
When Ehud Barak and his friends split off into the Independence Party, the remaining Labor candidates spoke of a new beginning. They went into the streets to recruit new party members and supporters, and the assumption was that those registering were doing so out of a sense of public duty. People motivated by duty usually fill out registration forms that are 100% kosher.
Except that the Labor party has an unfortunate tradition of vote buying, one that apparently hasn't gone out of fashion in 2011 even if its scope is diminished. One has to assume that retired judge Sarah Frisch would not have so many potentially fraudulent registration forms to review if activists on the ground hadn't gotten a green light from their leaders not to shy away from unscrupulous methods.
Even now, when it is in its leaner years, Labor is an important party on the Israeli scene, and striving for transparency is in its interest, as well as in the interests of the Israeli public. From this point of view, the fact that the registration forms are being examined is praiseworthy. But the bigger problem remains-- what to do about the primaries system-
The doubts and questions are gathering steam. On Thursday, MK Dalia Itzik who is now a Kadima member but whose successful political career is rooted in the primaries system, expressed her disappointment with the system. Dr. Ra'anan Cohen, the former head of the Labor party's election committee, spoke out on the issue as well. They're both right, except that the model of a single leader surrounded by a small inner circle controlling a large party (Yisrael Beitenu, Shas) is even worse.
Some in Israeli politics have expressed nostalgia for the arrangements committees. They're wrong and anyway, it's not practical to go back to them. The best of the bad options is to decide that only party members who have consistently paid their dues for at least 3 years be allowed to vote in primaries. This tactic hasn't been given a chance yet. Its time has come.
טעינו? נתקן! אם מצאתם טעות בכתבה, נשמח שתשתפו אותנו