Probe reveals voting irregularities during '07 elections for Labor chairman

An investigation conducted by the police's national fraud unit has revealed voting irregularities and fraud at voting booths during the 2007 internal elections for Labor Party chairman, law enforcement officials announced on Wednesday.

Police say the findings of the probe showed forged signatures in the list of registered Labor Party voters for 10 voting booths ? eight in the north of the country and two more in the Negev region.

The investigation was launched following a broadcast report by Channel 10 journalist Raviv Drucker. Hidden cameras which showed footage of the day's voting suggested a significant discrepancy between the supposedly low voter turnout and the high number of voters who turned out in the Arab sector.

Retired judge Amnon Stershnov, who supervised the elections, filed a complaint with police. On the day after the election, aides to Ami Ayalon, who ran for chairman in the poll, said they possessed proof of voting irregularities at many stations throughout the Arab and Druze sectors.

The investigation will now be submitted to prosecutors who will consider whether the findings warrant an indictment.

Labor Party officials said Wednesday they have yet to review the investigations findings and are refraining from comment, though they did note that the party pours significant sums of money for each round of elections in order to preserve the integrity of the process.