What is the real purpose of these ads? Shaming people into voting if they think that their “friends and family” will look up their information to see whether they actually voted? How often they vote? Future employers can also check, as can landlords, creditors, work colleagues, and stalkers.
I don't even know if it's true that "friends and family" can just look it up. "Public record" isn't the same as "readily available to the general public." Politicians, PACs, etc pay to get that information, and they are certainly shelling out for that info, but friends and family?
We get postcards that say "Your vote is secret, but the fact you voted is public." Hubs is like, "Is this some sort of scam or threat?" I explained it's true info, but am befuddled by the motive.
You might find this article interesting, about those postcards saying groups/people knowing that you voted. Apparently hubs wasn't the only one to think they sounded threatening. And it's possible that tone makes them illegal in some states.
@misterfive Thank you for posting this. The mailing definitely left me uneasy.
I still think your friends and family can't just go look up whether you voted. Certainly not in the states I've lived in.
I'm pretty sure that anyone can go and check WHETHER someone voted, that's a matter of public record.
@misterfive @cassandra17lina
They can see what you are registered as, and if you voted. Not how you voted. At least in NC.
@misterfive @CinnamonGirlE @cassandra17lina
According to this, in 41 states, anyone can either request or view this information.
@mcfate @misterfive @CinnamonGirlE @cassandra17lina IMO "vote history" is vague on the list at that link, but knowing what I have access to, it seems to mean that the person voted. Not for whom
@b4cks4w @misterfive @CinnamonGirlE @cassandra17lina
Election boards don't KNOW who you voted for. The structure their operations so they won't know.
@mcfate @b4cks4w @CinnamonGirlE @cassandra17lina
Agreed, they don't know.
And apologies, was reading who gets the rolls automatically vs who can request them, so yes, most rolls are more widely available.
But it is a request process and requires a fee for most states, and I really don't see a lot of random people going through the process just out of idle curiosity.
@misterfive @b4cks4w @CinnamonGirlE @cassandra17lina
If someone is putting the workers to doing extra work for them, I have no issues with their being asked to pay for the efforts they're demanding.
@mcfate @b4cks4w @CinnamonGirlE @cassandra17lina
I have no issues with the fee either, and it's similar to FOIA fees.
I just don't see most of my friends and family and neighbors caring enough about my voting record to fill out forms and pay a fee to see it.
@CinnamonGirlE @misterfive @cassandra17lina
Buncombe county is texting me daily that I haven’t voted. They know I always vote early. Even called them before I moved to cancel my voter registration after MAGA neighbor accused me of voting two places.
@LnzyHou @misterfive @cassandra17lina
Nice on the MAGA neighbor 🙄
@CinnamonGirlE @misterfive @cassandra17lina
There is a rumor around here that who you voted for will be released after the election. I've actually heard a conversation with people saying they are afraid to vote because of this. smh
@ellesu @CinnamonGirlE @cassandra17lina
If you know people who are thinking that, this article may help you convince them that ballot secrecy is required by law.
https://www.npr.org/2024/10/04/nx-s1-5129679/can-someone-find-out-whom-you-voted-for-explained
@misterfive @CinnamonGirlE @cassandra17lina
Thank you for this.
This is nonsense intended for paranoids.
I got a mailing from the California Secretary of State which showed that I had voted — not HOW — in the past five elections, along with the records of whether some "neighbors" — names and addresses, other than the (several miles long) street we're all on — of whether or not THEY voted.
And it points out that IF you voted is indeed a matter of public record, but HOW you voted is something even THEY don't know.
@mcfate @misterfive @cassandra17lina
Got the same letter in NM
No one knows how you vote unless you tell them
@cassandra17lina
Yeah, it sounded like they were just trying to get out the vote, but it does seem very misguided to me, especially in our current political climate.