The Republicans are after me!
October 5, 2010 12:04 PM Subscribe
Do political campaigns sell personal info on financial contributors to the rival camp?
I made a campaign contribution to the Obama campaign during the last presidential election. This was the first time I've done that and I made it via the website, which included giving my name/address/phone/credit card number. He won, money well spent I guess. But as we approach next month's elections, I am getting a phone call almost every day from GOP pollsters asking me who I am voting for and why and asking my opinion on a host of other issues. The first few I assumed were third parties collecting data but I've begun asking them who they represent because I've never gotten one of these phone calls before in my life and can't figure out where they are coming from all of a sudden.
Is it possible that these two things are linked? Does one campaign give the phone numbers of contributors out to the opposite side? They've called my home and cell numbers so this doesn't seem random. Has anyone else experienced this or is anyone here knowledgable enough on campaigns to say if one might have something to do with the other? I don't mind the calls really, they've all been very nice people, but getting one everyday from a different candidate or PAC seems like a lot. In the alternative, if anyone has another explanation for why my opinion is suddenly in such high demand, I'd love to hear it. I live in Wisconsin and like I said, had never gotten a political polling call in my life until last month. My home number is unlisted and both home and cell are under my husband's name. He has not received any phone calls on his cell phone. Note-he also had nothing to do with my campaign contribution so that would square up.
I made a campaign contribution to the Obama campaign during the last presidential election. This was the first time I've done that and I made it via the website, which included giving my name/address/phone/credit card number. He won, money well spent I guess. But as we approach next month's elections, I am getting a phone call almost every day from GOP pollsters asking me who I am voting for and why and asking my opinion on a host of other issues. The first few I assumed were third parties collecting data but I've begun asking them who they represent because I've never gotten one of these phone calls before in my life and can't figure out where they are coming from all of a sudden.
Is it possible that these two things are linked? Does one campaign give the phone numbers of contributors out to the opposite side? They've called my home and cell numbers so this doesn't seem random. Has anyone else experienced this or is anyone here knowledgable enough on campaigns to say if one might have something to do with the other? I don't mind the calls really, they've all been very nice people, but getting one everyday from a different candidate or PAC seems like a lot. In the alternative, if anyone has another explanation for why my opinion is suddenly in such high demand, I'd love to hear it. I live in Wisconsin and like I said, had never gotten a political polling call in my life until last month. My home number is unlisted and both home and cell are under my husband's name. He has not received any phone calls on his cell phone. Note-he also had nothing to do with my campaign contribution so that would square up.
Couldn't the GOP have simply pulled that information off the public disclosure records of the Obama campaign?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:11 PM on October 5, 2010
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:11 PM on October 5, 2010
My bad: that's $200 in total donations for a line item contribution.
posted by gabrielsamoza at 12:12 PM on October 5, 2010
posted by gabrielsamoza at 12:12 PM on October 5, 2010
Google your name, along with your street name and city. Or, just look for yourself here.
I would be interested to hear gabrielsamoza's reasoning for why these disclosures are illegal, since the FEC makes the info available on its website.
Long story short: your contributions to political candidates (at least the federal ones) are public information. Why you're getting calls from republicans in particular, I can't imagine. Maybe you live in a primarily republican neighborhood and they think you might be a "swing" voter?
posted by rkent at 12:15 PM on October 5, 2010
I would be interested to hear gabrielsamoza's reasoning for why these disclosures are illegal, since the FEC makes the info available on its website.
Long story short: your contributions to political candidates (at least the federal ones) are public information. Why you're getting calls from republicans in particular, I can't imagine. Maybe you live in a primarily republican neighborhood and they think you might be a "swing" voter?
posted by rkent at 12:15 PM on October 5, 2010
Best answer: Your campaign contributions are public record. See e.g. OpenSecrets. It's illegal to use those records for political campaigning, but they do anyway.
Your phone number isn't part of that public record, but campaigns don't need that — they already have very sophisticated databases of registered voters which bring in data from other sources, like commercial databases of phone numbers. I don't know exactly where these additional contact details come from — and I'm sure the details are proprietary — but on the Democratic side they call this the VAN, or Voter Activation Network, and it has info on which elections you've voted in and sometimes cell phone numbers and email addresses.
I would guess the Republicans have a similar database and you were already in it, but you've now started showing up in their queries against that database because of your donation. As to why they're going after Obama donors, I don't know, but I see from your profile that you are in finance — if you put your employer down when you donated money, that is also part of the public record, so maybe the GOP is looking for finance industry people who've been politically active in the past.
It may also have nothing to do with your donations. Some campaigns will consider likely voters to be everyone who voted in, say, the last three elections, or the last three non-presidential elections — it's possible you've just that threshold.
posted by enn at 12:16 PM on October 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
Your phone number isn't part of that public record, but campaigns don't need that — they already have very sophisticated databases of registered voters which bring in data from other sources, like commercial databases of phone numbers. I don't know exactly where these additional contact details come from — and I'm sure the details are proprietary — but on the Democratic side they call this the VAN, or Voter Activation Network, and it has info on which elections you've voted in and sometimes cell phone numbers and email addresses.
I would guess the Republicans have a similar database and you were already in it, but you've now started showing up in their queries against that database because of your donation. As to why they're going after Obama donors, I don't know, but I see from your profile that you are in finance — if you put your employer down when you donated money, that is also part of the public record, so maybe the GOP is looking for finance industry people who've been politically active in the past.
It may also have nothing to do with your donations. Some campaigns will consider likely voters to be everyone who voted in, say, the last three elections, or the last three non-presidential elections — it's possible you've just that threshold.
posted by enn at 12:16 PM on October 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
Your phone number isn't part of that public record, but campaigns don't need that — they already have very sophisticated databases of registered voters which bring in data from other sources, like commercial databases of phone numbers.
See Demzilla and Voter Vault
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:20 PM on October 5, 2010
See Demzilla and Voter Vault
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:20 PM on October 5, 2010
Response by poster: Yeah, I thought of the campaign finance disclosures, but it was a very small donation and since I'm not on the phone company's radar at all, I didn't think they'd be able to track me down like that without directly being given the info by the Obama campaign or some other information clearinghouse. I realize they have to disclose contributions, but do they have to disclose my home and mobile number as well? Googling me shouldn't help them, I share a name with a famous person.
But thanks to all of you, it's nice to know I'm not just paranoid, that they could indeed be related.
posted by supercapitalist at 12:23 PM on October 5, 2010
But thanks to all of you, it's nice to know I'm not just paranoid, that they could indeed be related.
posted by supercapitalist at 12:23 PM on October 5, 2010
It seems more to me that someone signed you up for something. For the most part, campaigns don't want to waste their time trying to convince people on the other side. They tend to focus on getting like minded voters to vote. After that, there may be some effort spent on swaying people who are are on the fence.
One election cycle, I got a ton of calls from right leaning groups and push pollsters. Why? I bought fishing gear online from a very manly site. It only took one cycle of elections for them to figure out that it wasn't worth their time to call this unfriendly household.
posted by advicepig at 12:51 PM on October 5, 2010
One election cycle, I got a ton of calls from right leaning groups and push pollsters. Why? I bought fishing gear online from a very manly site. It only took one cycle of elections for them to figure out that it wasn't worth their time to call this unfriendly household.
posted by advicepig at 12:51 PM on October 5, 2010
Do political campaigns sell personal info on financial contributors to the rival camp?
No. that would defeat the purpose. They are likely working off of huge databases which are cross-referenced with a lot of information. You'd be surprised what marketers know about you, including polticial marketers. You're in a target demographic for them and the fact that you voted for Obama means nothing. If you are a dem supporter, don't tell them so that the GOP continues to waste resources on you. They'd like nothing better than to cross you off your list.
More importantly, if you are concerned, I'd share those concerns with Obama for America. I'd bet they'd give you a quick, straight answer.
posted by Ironmouth at 12:53 PM on October 5, 2010
No. that would defeat the purpose. They are likely working off of huge databases which are cross-referenced with a lot of information. You'd be surprised what marketers know about you, including polticial marketers. You're in a target demographic for them and the fact that you voted for Obama means nothing. If you are a dem supporter, don't tell them so that the GOP continues to waste resources on you. They'd like nothing better than to cross you off your list.
More importantly, if you are concerned, I'd share those concerns with Obama for America. I'd bet they'd give you a quick, straight answer.
posted by Ironmouth at 12:53 PM on October 5, 2010
They probably determined you are a likely swing voter via statistics.
posted by chairface at 12:53 PM on October 5, 2010
posted by chairface at 12:53 PM on October 5, 2010
It's been a while since I worked on any political campaigns, but the standard procedure was to get the list of registered voters by party and precinct, and target precincts where people were likely to vote our way, and drop off flyers/call those folks. We only targeted Democrats, not Republicans.
I suppose the local (state?) GOP group could be cross-referencing this list with Obama donors, but I suspect that'd push you *down* the list of likely Republican voters.
Also, these could be push polls.
posted by bluedaisy at 1:19 PM on October 5, 2010
I suppose the local (state?) GOP group could be cross-referencing this list with Obama donors, but I suspect that'd push you *down* the list of likely Republican voters.
Also, these could be push polls.
posted by bluedaisy at 1:19 PM on October 5, 2010
Best answer: I doubt these things are related at all. As enn pointed out, you're in a database of voter information that pulls at the very least from the state registrar, if not also other sources (I know the VAN backwards and forwards but have no idea what Republicans use, so I don't have any inside scoop on how that works), and for whatever reason, you've been targeted as a possible swing voter. I also get the impression (anecdotally) that Republicans do more work than Democrats do on demographic targeting in coming up with their lists - including where people shop and that sort of thing. Obviously they don't have you pegged correctly, but it's a growing practice.
I don't have anything conclusive to say about why this is happening now when it hasn't before other than that a) political parties are constantly coming up with ways to improve/expand their efforts on this stuff and b) it's a VERY contentious year in Wisconsin politics - Senator Feingold, who has been around since 1992 and hasn't had a close race since 1998, is in a very tough fight, and the Republicans will do anything they can to take him down.
posted by naoko at 1:30 PM on October 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
I don't have anything conclusive to say about why this is happening now when it hasn't before other than that a) political parties are constantly coming up with ways to improve/expand their efforts on this stuff and b) it's a VERY contentious year in Wisconsin politics - Senator Feingold, who has been around since 1992 and hasn't had a close race since 1998, is in a very tough fight, and the Republicans will do anything they can to take him down.
posted by naoko at 1:30 PM on October 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
I've worked on political campaigns, although not on the national level.
Your voter registration info is public record and available to anyone who wants to pull it. If you did not give over $200 then its pretty much impossible for your donation to have triggered this, because that donation info is not public record. I'd bet these calls are related somehow to your voter registration card -- many states request a phone number on your VR card, and that info becomes part of the database as well.
since I'm not on the phone company's radar at all, I didn't think they'd be able to track me down like that without directly being given the info by the Obama campaign or some other information clearinghouse.
If you have a phone, you're on a list somewhere. Its becoming easier to get cell phone numbers as a list; also its possible they are (as mentioned above) cross referencing with another database (a credit card, perhaps, or even something as innocuous as vehicle registration, depending on the state).
I realize they have to disclose contributions, but do they have to disclose my home and mobile number as well?
If this was triggered by a campaign donation, any phone/email you gave them is not public record - the campaign is not requested or required to submit that info to the Feds and I can't imagine why they would. Only your name, address, and employer info is public.
Search for yourself here. If your name doesn't come up here then your donation is not public record.
posted by anastasiav at 2:47 PM on October 5, 2010
Your voter registration info is public record and available to anyone who wants to pull it. If you did not give over $200 then its pretty much impossible for your donation to have triggered this, because that donation info is not public record. I'd bet these calls are related somehow to your voter registration card -- many states request a phone number on your VR card, and that info becomes part of the database as well.
since I'm not on the phone company's radar at all, I didn't think they'd be able to track me down like that without directly being given the info by the Obama campaign or some other information clearinghouse.
If you have a phone, you're on a list somewhere. Its becoming easier to get cell phone numbers as a list; also its possible they are (as mentioned above) cross referencing with another database (a credit card, perhaps, or even something as innocuous as vehicle registration, depending on the state).
I realize they have to disclose contributions, but do they have to disclose my home and mobile number as well?
If this was triggered by a campaign donation, any phone/email you gave them is not public record - the campaign is not requested or required to submit that info to the Feds and I can't imagine why they would. Only your name, address, and employer info is public.
Search for yourself here. If your name doesn't come up here then your donation is not public record.
posted by anastasiav at 2:47 PM on October 5, 2010
I am getting a phone call almost every day from GOP pollsters asking me who I am voting for and why and asking my opinion on a host of other issues.
Every day? That's a push poll, for sure. They make outrageous statements "would you vote for Russ Feingold if you knew he hates Jews and supports muslims" or some such crap and pretend like its a "poll" to give it more authenticity and make you consider it more than if it was a regular ad.
Don't believe them.
posted by Ironmouth at 3:37 PM on October 5, 2010
Every day? That's a push poll, for sure. They make outrageous statements "would you vote for Russ Feingold if you knew he hates Jews and supports muslims" or some such crap and pretend like its a "poll" to give it more authenticity and make you consider it more than if it was a regular ad.
Don't believe them.
posted by Ironmouth at 3:37 PM on October 5, 2010
Everyone's pretty on point here.
1. It's not the Obama campaign giving your information away unless your donation was large enough to have to trigger a public disclosure, the amount of which changes from state to state.
2. The way they got your number is through your voter registration. Period. That's what VAN and the GOP equivalent is based on.
3. The reason that you are getting calls is because you are a _______ who has voted in ______ of the last _____ elections, is _____ years old, and lives in district _______. Certain campaigns in your area based on this information think that you may vote for a Republican candidate this cycle.
3. Depending on where you are, "push polls" are not in vogue because it's pretty easy to determine who is calling and where they got the money to be calling you. I doubt it's a "push poll," more likely it is a real poll trying out certain attacks. Ask the person on the other side why they are calling. Are they different campaigns? Don't conflate all campaigns together, they're making separate decisions. If you want the calls to stop from a certain campaign, say you are a supporter of the other side. You will never be contacted again. You may have to repeat this for several campaigns.
posted by Michael Pemulis at 9:37 AM on October 6, 2010
1. It's not the Obama campaign giving your information away unless your donation was large enough to have to trigger a public disclosure, the amount of which changes from state to state.
2. The way they got your number is through your voter registration. Period. That's what VAN and the GOP equivalent is based on.
3. The reason that you are getting calls is because you are a _______ who has voted in ______ of the last _____ elections, is _____ years old, and lives in district _______. Certain campaigns in your area based on this information think that you may vote for a Republican candidate this cycle.
3. Depending on where you are, "push polls" are not in vogue because it's pretty easy to determine who is calling and where they got the money to be calling you. I doubt it's a "push poll," more likely it is a real poll trying out certain attacks. Ask the person on the other side why they are calling. Are they different campaigns? Don't conflate all campaigns together, they're making separate decisions. If you want the calls to stop from a certain campaign, say you are a supporter of the other side. You will never be contacted again. You may have to repeat this for several campaigns.
posted by Michael Pemulis at 9:37 AM on October 6, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by gabrielsamoza at 12:10 PM on October 5, 2010