Has anyone else received a "voting report card" in the mail?

[Crunchy Frog]

I got one and it seems really creepy and stalkerish to me. I found an article about them.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/voter-report-card-mailings-described-as-creepy-and-insulting-defended-as-effective-tool/

One thing that they said in the article is that they focus on sending them to members of "underrepresented groups" like young people, POC, and single women. Makes me wonder if it's a stealth effort to depress the Democratic vote.

I know that sounds paranoid, but at this point I almost think paranoia should be the default.

There's an image of it in the article. I'm curious about what other people make of it.

[Alephy]

1. I received one a couple of days ago...

And I thought it was weird.

[msongs]

2. neighbors are hidden? likeyly they are not known. just a scare tactic nt

[TwilightZone]

3. Someone posted about something similar and suggested using the website to "remind" friends, etc.

I, personally, think it's creepy and even though the information is public, it feels like an invasion of privacy.

Here's the earlier thread:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219648623

[Xavier Breath]

4. I got one a few years back detailing when I had voted.

Honestly, if it does anything, it may shame (if that's not too strong a word) some into voting that maybe hadn't planned to do so. If that turns out to be young people, POC and single women (none of which describes me, btw), would that be a bad thing for us?

And yes, I agree it's kinda creepy. But it's info that's already posted on the web anyway.

[Funtatlaguy]

5. I got one/yes it was creepy.

[LisaL]

6. I recently got one of those.

I am very confused as to what the purpose of this is.

[Crunchy Frog]

8. I don't know whether the stated purpose is the same as the actual one.

It doesn't seem to me that making people feel creeped out, insulted, or threatened would be either an effective or ethical means of increasing voter turnout.

I've found a bunch more articles about it and lots of people seem to be complaining, and there's even been a cease and desist order from the Maryland AG.

This does not strike me as being completely upfront.

[teran]

7. I got one, and

I ripped it up and recycled it. If whoever sent it had any idea what they were doing, the would know I already voted early weeks ago, so whatever message they intended to send was meaningless.

[Maeve]

9. Hubby and i got them...the other person at our address

Voted in 2020, but has since moved (twice) and married. I know for a fact she's voted elsewhere and I know for whom.
Wasted effort on their part, using outdated info

[Ms. Toad]

23. What that likely means is that they never removed themselves from the voting rolls.

There's supposed to be cooperation - but especially when the move is to another state, it may not happen.

My daughter got one for the people who used to live at her house . . . years ago. They didn't vote then, and apparently never registered wherever they live now (they are still registered voters at her address).

[10 Turtle Day]

10. I got one last week

They could have saved their postage because I always vote, every single election. They could have looked farther back and seen that.

And if they’re trying to shame me into voting this election, just try stopping me! (Actually, I already voted weeks ago.)

I agree it’s a creepy approach.

[Ms. Toad]

24. It's just a computer generated mailing

They say it is targeted to voters who are less likely to vote, but based on the fact that I have voted in all but two (IIRC) elections since 1976, it is obviously just mass-generated. (The others in my household received similar mailings, and my spouse has a similar voting record to mine. My daughter has missed a few non-November elections.)

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. "We will be reviewing these records after the election" does sound creepy.

And it's not as if it's a polite letter, either. No "please" in it - a "thank you" if you've already voted (but not if you plan on voting on the day, it seems). I imagine a lot of people tell Gail Kitch to go fuck herself, under their breath.

[Ms. Toad]

12. It is nearly identical to one of the postcards to swing states mesage

Last edited Mon Nov 4, 2024, 12:26 AM - Edit history (1)

I hate it, and refuse to use it but the message originated in Dem circles years ago.

I completely agree it is creepy (whether on a written postcard or this mass produced crap. And I hate that we started it.

(I tried to unsubscribe using their directions. They didn't work (the unsubscribe code they provided was rejected). I added that observation to the piece of my mind I had already typed up about the message. From the article, I doubt the organizer cares. I hope enough people are annoyed that he doesn't have enough money to support sending these out in the next cycle.

[Jmb 4 Harris-Walz]

13. I have NOT received any but I'm not in a swing state. I don't really feel it's a bad thing. It's a good way to determine

if you should go next door, knock and ask if they would like a ride to the polling location.

If it can increase voter turnout, I guess I think it’s a good thing.

[UTUSN]

14. I sent an Unsubscribe withe th "reasons"

They had my name, address, dates i voted past several elections "from public records" and two redacted neighbors' names showing their dates. Their phone had only a recording. Sent the email reasons:

1- This is intrusive and creepy.
2- I'm an adult and don't need a "report card" or monitoring.
3- Unsolicited mail junk means I have the nuisance of tearing out my information and shredding.
4- I doubt this project is effective.

[Ms. Toad]

25. You were more polite than I was. n/t

[Brother Buzz]

15. Is a "Voting report card" what is called a slate?

If it is, make a study of the legally required asterisks? You can learn a lot by studying slates sent by oppositions, dressed up to look legitimate. In the past, I received one or two that looked like solid Democratic slates, but there would be one or two republican ringers down ballot. Same for some of the nasty republican propositions. Deceptive as Hell!

[Ms. Toad]

26. Not a slate.

Just "big brother" reporting to you on whether you voted last time, and on whether two of your neighbors voted last time, and a vague threat that they will be checking up on whether you vote this time.

[Easterncedar]

16. Yes. Not for the first time

I understand it motivates some people to vote. Whoever it works on ain't me.

[struggle4progress]

17. I got one and thought it creepy

It contained no useful information about voting -- it just said that whether I voted was public record

Yeah? So what was the point?

[sinkingfeeling]

18. Yes, I reported it here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?comview_post&forum1056&pid7339

I live in Illinois and got a mailer with my voting history from the Center for Voter Information.

It states, " We're sending this mailing to you and your neighbors to share who does and does not vote in an effort to promote election participation. While we have hidden the name and street number of your neighbors to protect their privacy, these are their true voting records."

Obviously the data came from the Illinois database since I have only voted here twice.

[Crunchy Frog]

30. Yours looks identical to the one I got.

I'd like to see your post but I can't get the link to work.

[muriel_volestrangler]

31. DU strips equals signs from post titles, so you can't put DU links to individual posts in there

and they're not so useful there either since you can't just click on them.

Try this: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1056&pid=7339

[Crunchy Frog]

32. Thanks.

[wnylib]

19. When Cuomo was governor of NY, he sent out

letters one year during the primaries to scold Dems who had not voted in the last Dem gubernatorial primary 4 years earlier. I received one because I had been sick on primary voting day during that previous election.

A lot of NY Dems were angry at the authoritarian tone of the letter and the feeling that we were being spied on.

So, after receiving the letter, I made sure that I voted in that year's primary. I cast my vote for Cuomo's primary opponent.

[Music Man]

20. I've gotten a couple over the years, and I really don't like them.

I don't appreciate the shaming tone, and no one I know personally enjoys getting them either.

[dsc]

21. I got one

from the second group, which makes sense since we aren't asked sexual orientation in polls so they would assume me to be a white male not a member of a minority group.

[Initech]

22. Yeah I got one. Literally voted against every candidate they endorsed!

[Ms. Toad]

27. They don't endorse any candidates.

All they do is spy on whether you and your neighbors voted.

[GP6971]

28. My wife and I received them. Creepy and overall

worthless information.

[rsdsharp]

29. My wife got one last week.