[usconservative]

Strange 'statement' by the Sec of State...so voter records are 'available for purchase for political purposes only' (and ALL campaigns to purchase the records to build their data bases) but the 'Secretary of State does not 'distribute' voter records'?

Can't speak for the law in Iowa, but in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota, the Secretary of State, which maintains voter records does in fact SELL voter records to political organizations for political purposes. That would include 501C-3's as well. That is SOP, and has been for decades.

If they don't 'distribute' the sold records to the buyers of those records, how the hell would the buyers receive them. I do believe this GOPe official is quibbling and playing with words. But I guess that is normal in this political season.

Records are distributed electronically. They're made available on-line in various formats to those who purchase them. Online access via web browser, or download a file with the information in it. Depends on what the political campaign paid for.

I've posted this repeatedly here on FR over the years (I've been here since 1998) as I've worked on political campaigns in this capacity: there is NO SUCH THING as a secret ballot, and there hasn't been for DECADES.

Your votes are all recorded, and directly attributable back to you. That is managed by the individual States via the Secretary of State office (or whatever an individual office calls it, here in Illinois it's the Secretary of State.)

As I posted on another thread, what the Cruz campaign did here has a CHILLING EFFECT in a number of ways, most notably putting voters on notice that someone is watching how they vote AND their votes are available to be published for anyone to see.

Imagine walking into work one day and finding yourself ostracized from your co-workers because they all vote directly opposite of you in almost every election. Everything in this country has become politicized to the point where any opposition to liberal Democrats can result in one being FIRED from their job, shamed on-line on social media, and otherwise having their reputations trashed by those that disagree with them.

It happens all the time. Ask any Conservative college professor what happens when they speak out in favor of Life, Conservative causes, or Conservative principles in any way. They're visciously attacked by the skulls full of mush on their college campus and harangued out of a job.

That's the effect the Cruz campaign had in this stupid, stupid mailer. They should've known better, and they didn't.

[SamAdams76]

Unless you were already a committed Cruz supporter, I can't imagine this mailer motivating anybody else to go out and vote for the man. In fact, it might even give committed Cruz voters pause. I'm sure the original intent of the mailer was to have a little fun but it comes across to the average voter as chilling and "big brother" as it implies that your voting record is open to scrutiny of others.

A major turnoff and a major fail by the Cruz campaign in my opinion.

[matt1234]

there is NO SUCH THING as a secret ballot, and there hasn't been for DECADES.

Thanks for that post, but a little clarification is in order. Whether or not you vote is public info. (at least in some localities). Who you vote for is not.

[Marie]

In AZ the ballot is secret. There are records on whether or not you voted, but no record for whom.

You walk in, fill out your paperwork, show ID and mail, then they hand you an empty ballot as you’re escorted to a booth. You fill out the paper (win NO identifying markers for you) and drop it in the box.

So yes. People would know if I registered “R” or “D” or if I voted or not, but not what candidate I actually voted for.