So if anything happens to me, this is the maybe real, maybe not real phone number it came from: 616-202-5100
I didn’t tell him who I was voting for but I did try to make him think for himself by asking how an intelligent person like himself he could vote for someone like Trump with a bajillion examples of why he’s an awful choice. Every example I brought up, brought something barely or totally unrelated as he bashed Hillary like she was the anti-christ.
At any rate, I have never been on a Republican calling list, the call was definitely local, so is it legal for someone like him to be calling “me” and asking who I’m voting for and trying to coerce me to vote for Trump? I don’t like it because he has my name, my phone number, and my house location and if he lives where he said he does, I am only a short drive away and he is obviously delusional.
Well, voter registration information is public, so that’s probably how he got it. While it is creepy canvassing, it’s legal. If he tries to intimidate you further, I’d report it to the local election board or HRC campaign office.
Phone canvassing is perfectly legal. If you get a call from someone asking who you are voting for, you should not answer that question. Its none of their business. Ive had a few canvassing calls from both sides of the fence and anytime they ask me that question I politely explain to them that voting is done in private for a reason and who I plan on voting for is my business alone. Engaging them in any kind of political debate over the candidates is not something you should do either, especially if your position is counter to theirs. Im not sure where you live but I can tell you from the exchange that the phone number your canvasser call from is a Grand Rapids, Mi. area number. It sounds like your problem is over with this person but if it so happens there is any kind of follow up on his part you can contact the Voter Intimidation Hotline for the FBI/DOJ at 1-800-253-3931 That number is provided directly from the Dept of Justice’s web site.
Well if you’d heard him flipping out to the facts I was delivering him in a calm and collected manner you’d be pretty unnerved as well. His assessment that Hillary is a female Anti-Christ puts him in the fringe.
We’re talking about Trump acolytes. Not Mitt Romney supporters. A lot of these people are not stable.
When I lived in Florida I had Governor Scott’s office call me to arrange a time to speak with me. He then proceeded in calling me a week later but I was on another call so he left a message. He asked me for my support, fortunately I am ineligible to vote.
Back in the day of pagers, I used to page my roommate, on his work pager, with the “Get paid to have sex!” numbers from the back of the local college town newspaper. It was so freaking hard not to crack up when he returned the calls with his business voice on. Hahaha.
No offense, but why would you think it’s illegal? I mean like what specific action do you think should be illegal? Having your phone number and address (available from voter registration of course, but also phone books)? Speaking to you in order to persuade you in general? Trying to convince you to vote for a specific candidate? Asking who you’re voting for (as any of numerous pollsters would do)?
I’m not really sure how this is even “creepy” besides the fact that he apparently wanted to debate, most phone canvassers just have a script and don’t bother to get too far off of it in order to save time. You’re one line on a long list of phone numbers they’re responsible for.
The only way I would see calling this illegal is if he actually threatened or harassed you (and harassment meaning something more than just bothering you with a single call.) It’d be more creepy if he did the whole “we’ll tell your neighbors whether you voted or not” bullshit. Maybe you could give a more specific example of how this particular call was creepy or potentially illegal.
Beyond that, remember that the First Amendment gives people, even people you don’t like or disagree with, the right to speak in a variety of mediums, including by phone, and it gives you the right to ignore them and hang up on them.
I know it’s not illegal, but it should be, if you’re on the national do not call list. The first amendment doesn’t give you the right to bang on people’s windows and shout at them day after day, which is what political cold calling basically is.
