Mailings that list voting records set off some neighbors [WI recall]

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ^ | June 4, 2012 | By Meg Jones

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Jane Boutan thought it was an invasion of privacy.

Corrine Greuling worried about her safety.

Viola Miller wondered if it could be used to steal her vote.

They and others got upset after the Greater Wisconsin Political Fund mailed fliers over the weekend listing people’s names, addresses and whether they voted in the November 2008 and 2010 elections, as well as the same information for a dozen of their neighbors.

Addressed to registered voters, the fliers say “Who votes is public record! Why do so many people fail to vote? We’ve been talking about the problem for years, but it only seems to get worse. This year, we’re taking a new approach. We’re sending this mailing to you and your neighbors to publicize who does and does not vote.”

Another version of the flier reads “Scott Walker won in 2010 because too many people stayed home! Two years ago, more than half a million Wisconsinites who supported Obama failed to vote in the 2010 election. And that’s how Governor Scott Walker got elected. This year, we’re taking a new approach. We’re sending this mailing to you and your neighbors to publicize who does and does not vote.”

Voting records are public in Wisconsin. The flier notes that the voting information came from the Government Accountability Board, which runs state elections.

Boutan, Miller and Greuling all said they understand that voting records are public but they were angry that the Greater Wisconsin Political Fund went to great lengths to publicize to their neighbors that information.

[Ellendra]

There’s a big difference between googling someone, and plastering what you found across their front lawn.

Which party was it that wanted to keep the recall signatures off the web in order to “protect privacy”?