Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Alaska voters upset about public-shaming mailers, but experts say they work
Alaska Dispatch News ^ | 10/27/2014 | Michelle Theriault Boots

Posted on 01/30/2016 1:49:49 PM PST by JediJones

"We're sending this mailing to you, your friends, your neighbors, your colleagues at work and your community members to publicize who does and does not vote."

The letter let Adams know that the senders intended to mail an updated chart after the Nov. 4 election.

Increasingly, political groups across the country are utilizing publicly available voter lists and other databases to send mailings that use what researchers call "social pressure" to get people to vote.

The most forceful threaten to expose an individual's voting record, or lack thereof, to peers.

...was sent by a political action committee called the Opportunity Alliance PAC [4] that has been active in Oregon and Iowa Senate races [5]. Filings with the Federal Election Commission show the main donor...has contributed to conservative causes and championed charter schools and educational choice [7].

Letters like the one being delivered to mailboxes in Anchorage are among the most effective ways to mobilize voters...

...shame was an effective motivator to get people to the polls, he said.

If you see voting as a "pro-social activity," having people whose opinions you care about know you don't vote could be embarrassing.

For all its utility, the technique also causes backlash.

News reports from the 2012 and 2014 election cycles describe angry reactions from recipients of "voter shaming" mailers in states like Colorado and Arkansas.

The voter-shaming mailers don't appear to be in violation of the law, she said.

One was sent by America Votes [8], a progressive group...

The other was sent by the Koch brothers-backed conservative nonprofit Americans for Prosperity [9].

"Very few things have been proven to be as effective as the heavy-handed social pressure mailer," Panagopoulos said.

In fact, research shows they are roughly as effective as the far more resource-intensive door-to-door, get-out-the-vote visits, he said.

(Excerpt) Read more at adn.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: abigkochup; campaign; cruzeffsupagain; gunownersinfonext; kocheyedbastids; mailer; shaming; tactic; tedleadballontour
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-70 last
To: RegulatorCountry

Why don’t you go ahead and explain why the letter mentions the neighbors for us and why the letter claims there will be a follow up letter? Why don’t you explain in clear detail the purpose of that since you claim there is no threat or intimidation intended. What was the exact purpose?? Go ahead, we’ll wait for your BS answer.


61 posted on 01/30/2016 4:21:14 PM PST by CodeToad (Islam should be banned and treated as a criminal enterprise!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: CodeToad

I’m not a diehard Cruz supporter, I’m more in the Trump camp. In my opinion, you’re reaching and trying too hard to make this even more damaging than it is, because you oppose Cruz. I don’t oppose him, I’ll vote for him if it comes down to that. Not my first choice but such is life at times.


62 posted on 01/30/2016 4:22:56 PM PST by RegulatorCountry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: RegulatorCountry

“me I get hand horse pig donkey truck”

Those are just words. Explain to us what the words of the letter mean. I know you won’t. All mouth and dismissive of threats and intimidation by their candidate.


63 posted on 01/30/2016 4:24:24 PM PST by CodeToad (Islam should be banned and treated as a criminal enterprise!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: CodeToad

I know the direct marketing industry and know their practices. They would not send out an expensive mailing that violated the law, their profit and their very existence rides on avoiding such legal snafus on behalf of their clients, the political campaigns. They’re relying on information in the public domain that is made readily available by the states for exactly such use as this. So, they may send out another one? The first one broke no laws, a “reminder” won’t either. Do conservatives find it intrusive, perhaps to the point of anger? That seems to be the case, in this instance at least. Was it ill-advised of the Cruz campaign to authorize this? Looks like it was. That’s my answer, and you’re certainly free to call it BS if you want, but it’s clear that you’re running on emotion rather than facts.


64 posted on 01/30/2016 4:28:42 PM PST by RegulatorCountry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: CodeToad

Rant away, I’m done here.


65 posted on 01/30/2016 4:33:46 PM PST by RegulatorCountry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: CodeToad

Printing and mailing public information is not “intimidation.” You lose, sir.


66 posted on 01/30/2016 6:12:28 PM PST by JediJones ("How stupid are the people of Iowa?" -Donald Trump, November 12, 2015)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: RegulatorCountry

“They would not send out an expensive mailing that violated the law”

They do all the time. That isn’t much of an argument.


67 posted on 01/30/2016 6:27:38 PM PST by CodeToad (Islam should be banned and treated as a criminal enterprise!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: jstaff

Still does not make it right what they are doing, regardless if it is public record or not


68 posted on 01/30/2016 6:28:06 PM PST by Robert DeLong (u)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: JediJones

“Printing and mailing public information is not “intimidation.” You lose, sir.”

That is not the definition of intimidation. You failed English, didn’t you?


69 posted on 01/30/2016 6:29:26 PM PST by CodeToad (Islam should be banned and treated as a criminal enterprise!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: CodeToad
They do all the time. That isn’t much of an argument.

Point to an example. If it was at all a frequent occurrence, there would be a whole lot of political direct marketers putting themselves out of business.

70 posted on 01/30/2016 6:30:03 PM PST by RegulatorCountry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-70 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson