Minnesota voters report surge in campaign texts and calls
David Schultz of Hamline University explains why certain voting details are public and how to manage incoming messages.
By Natalie Cooper ·
Voters in Minnesota are receiving a high volume of text messages and phone calls from political campaigns as Tuesday’s Election Day approaches. The activity is expected to increase over the weekend as organizations attempt to fundraise and mobilize support. This wave of outreach has prompted questions regarding data privacy among residents.
Some of the messages reference personal voting history or the current status of absentee ballots. David Schultz, a professor of political science and legal studies at Hamline University, noted that these details are part of the public record. “They cannot get the content of your ballot; that is protected,” Schultz said. He added that requests for absentee ballots, early voting status, and voter registration status are all public information.
Schultz explained that keeping this data public allows for public inspection. “The reason why that’s public information is to allow for inspection by the public to ensure that there’s no illegal activity going on, that people aren’t impersonating each other,” he said. He attributed the high volume of messages to the competitive nature of Minnesota races and a generational shift in communication habits.
According to Schultz, the outreach has the greatest impact on undecided voters and first-time citizens. “Where I think the biggest impact is, is going to be for those voters who are on the edge saying, ‘Should I vote, not vote?’ or for first-time voters especially,” he said. “For them, these messages are incredibly important.”
Voters with concerns about the messages should contact their county board of elections office. Individuals can also stop receiving unwanted texts by replying with the word STOP.
