The Democrats' Voter Privacy Fail

[babsbunny]

The Democrats' Voter Privacy Fail

http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/10/organizing-for-america-voter-privacy-fail

Do tea party pranksters have access to your personal information, thanks to Organizing for America's privacy-challenged get-out-the-vote campaign?

— By Stephanie Mencimer

If you happen to receive a call from someone who says they're phoning on behalf of Organizing for America (OFA)—the successor group to Barack Obama's campaign machine—don't be surprised if he or she implores you to vote for tea party favorites like Sharron Angle, Christine O'Donnell, or Rand Paul, or merely lambasts health care reform. The caller won't actually be a member of Obama's 13-million strong legion of campaign supporters, but rather a tea party prankster who has access to your personal information, thanks to OFA's privacy-challenged get-out-the-vote (GOTV) campaign.

[Tippy]

1. K&R

[MineralMan]

2. Well, here's the problem:

My name, address, and party affiliation are in the voter registration database. My phone number is in the telephone directory, or can be found online. Any political organization can contact me, and they frequently do. I make my own decisions. The only way to prevent what you describe is to make those voter registration databases non-public. I don't think either party wants to do that.

Anyone who calls me and pimps a teabagger or a Republican simply gets a dial tone after I hang up on them. I can do that. I can make choices. I assume that others can do the same. OTOH, when I'm making calls for my own favorite candidates, I use information generated from those voter registration lists.

There it is.

[nykym]

3. When I do answer a call

And that isn't often if I don't recognize the name or number (thank you caller ID). If it is some sort of political call my first question is Are you calling on behalf of Dems? Case closed.

[MineralMan]

4. There ya go! That'll do it.