“Who you vote for is personal, however whether or not you vote is public document.”
Postcards, fliers and different mailings containing that message — or some variation of it — have hit mailboxes throughout Southern California as Election Day approaches. The intent, based on the left-leaning teams behind a few of the mailings, is to encourage folks to take part within the election, notably these thought-about to be “inconsistent” voters.
Some mailers included a reminder that Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Others have been a bit extra private — leaving voters questioning simply how personal their voter registration info is.
One letter, referred to as a “voting report card” and despatched to California voters from the Washington, D.C.-based Middle for Voter Data, contains the recipient’s voting document within the 2022, 2020, 2018 and 2016 elections.
Beneath are two neighbors’ voting data, with their names and a part of their addresses blacked out.
“We’re sending this mailing to you and your neighbors to share who does and doesn’t vote in an effort to advertise election participation,” the letter says. “Whereas we now have hidden the identify and avenue variety of your neighbors to guard their privateness, these are their true voting data.
“We shall be reviewing these data after the election to find out whether or not or not you joined your neighbors in voting.”
Whereas the Middle for Voter Data payments itself as a nonpartisan group aiming to assist folks register to vote and take part in elections, it has spent cash to help Democratic candidates in earlier elections, together with President Joe Biden in 2020. (The FEC doesn’t record any expenditure information for the group for this election cycle.)
This election cycle, it despatched 7.1 million items of “the sort of turnout mail” to 1.9 million voters, together with 630,000 voters in Orange County, Tom Lopach, president and CEO of the Middle for Voter Data, mentioned in an emailed assertion. The group focused voters who’re folks of shade, single girls and younger folks in addition to “People who share the values of a consultant authorities,” mentioned Lopach.
“We’ve one foremost mission, and that’s to encourage folks to vote,” Lopach mentioned. “Whether or not somebody voted in an election is public document. As a civic-engagement group, we use public data to assist voters perceive their voting data.”
What voter info is public
So simply what info is publicly obtainable about voters?
Entry to voter registration lists, and the data that comes with these, vary state-by-state.
In California, voter registration information, stored by the secretary of state’s workplace, will be accessed by candidates for federal, state or native workplace; committees associated to initiative or referendum measures; or individuals who want to use the data for election, governmental, journalistic, political or scholarly functions, based on the secretary of state.
A voter registration information file incorporates a voter’s identify, date of start, residential and mailing tackle, contact info and political occasion desire. Voter participation historical past contains the kind of election a voter participated in, the date of the election and voting methodology, reminiscent of by mail or at a polling place.
Voter registration info doesn’t embody the particular person’s poll choices, reminiscent of who they voted for.
Driver’s license numbers, Social Safety numbers and signatures are additionally confidential and never disclosed.
There may be an utility course of for these wanting to acquire voter registration info, submitted by both the secretary of state or a county.
The applying, based on a replica from the Orange County Registrar of Voters, requires the applicant to element how they might use the data and the way they plan to maintain it safe.
Improve turnout or intimidate?
Mailers, like those hitting Southern California voters’ mailboxes in latest days from two left-leaning teams, should not new. They’re “get out the vote” efforts by campaigns or teams which can be usually championing a trigger, mentioned Dan Schnur, a former marketing campaign marketing consultant who teaches about political messaging at UC Berkeley and USC.
That features a postcard despatched to voters across the nation by the Progressive Turnout Venture, a voter contact group that works to mobilize Democrats.
Voters in Southern California have been despatched postcards that say, “America votes Tuesday, Nov. 5” with the message: “Thanks for being a voter! Who you vote for is personal, however whether or not you vote is public document. Please vote within the Tues., Nov. 5 election!”
That’s one of three choices volunteers who handwrite the postcards’ messages can select from. It’s referred to as the “social stress” message, which the Progressive Turnout Venture says is its handiest selection. One other message encourages voters to make a plan to vote within the election, and a 3rd choice encourages the recipient to remind family and friends to vote.
The postcard features a URL that directs to a web site paid for by the Democratic Nationwide Committee that helps folks register to vote and verify on the standing of their poll, amongst different help. There’s additionally details about states’ voter hotline numbers.
The group has despatched greater than 40 million postcards this election cycle, together with to voters in California congressional districts with shut races: CA-27, CA-40, CA-41, CA-45, CA-47 and CA-49.
It’s unclear if any right-leaning or Republican-affiliated teams are sending comparable mailers to voters in Southern California.
Whereas the simplest get-out-the-vote technique is person-to-person, mentioned Schnur, some of these mailers also can play on an individual’s sense of belonging.
“We’re a tribal species, and we wish to be reminded that we’re a part of a gaggle,” Schnur mentioned. “We don’t wish to really feel unnoticed, and the sort of mailing capitalizes on that fear.”
The mailers can each improve turnout but additionally have an intimidating impact on voters as effectively, mentioned Schnur.
When requested concerning the letter’s vow to evaluate whether or not the recipient participated on this election, Lopach, with the Middle for Voter Data, mentioned the group will “generally verify again in with voters to higher inform our future mailing applications” after an election.
“Many mail recipients respect the follow-on dialog, and we now have realized that repeat communication typically results in residents changing into routine voters,” Lopach mentioned.
Related mailers have been additionally despatched to voters in Maryland and Virginia by the Middle for Voter Data, according to news reports.
Whereas sure voter registration info will be obtainable to those that efficiently apply for it, the data can’t be used to harass a voter or their family or to promote, solicit, promote or market services or products to a voter or their family, based on info supplied by Bob Web page, Orange County’s registrar.
The secretary of state encourages folks to report misinformation about voting by emailing catrustedinformation@sos.ca.gov or calling 1-800-345-8683.
In Orange County, voters can contact the District Legal professional’s Workplace in the event that they really feel intimidated or threatened at 2024.elections@ocdapa.org or 657-707-4048.
Employees author Teri Sforza contributed to this report.
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