Tired of receiving countless text messages from strange phone numbers asking you to donate money for a candidate or campaign ... there's only a week left until the US presidential election, but you might be able to stop those annoying messages before then. There are a few steps you can take to preempt unwanted political texts, and voting early might also staunch the flow.
Though these messages might seem endless, especially during the heated days of a presidential race, there's always a way to make them stop -- because these fundraising entities are bound by law to seek your consent for automated messaging. Read on for more details about modern fundraising practices and what you can do to better keep the fundraisers at arm's length.
And for more information to prepare you for this election season, read about finding the early voting period in your state and how to determine your registration status.
Why do political campaigns send so many messages?
Automated messages have emerged as a major part of political outreach efforts in the digital age. Text messages, in particular, have become a potent tool for campaign fundraising. Speaking with Time magazine, Alex Quilici, CEO of call-blocking company YouMail, explained that texts are more cost-effective than physical mail or phone calls, and that they have a tendency to encourage more engagement. This is especially true for young people, he added, who are more likely to respond to texts from numbers they don't recognize, than to calls.
How can I stop receiving political texts and email?
The Federal Communications Commission, aka the FCC, requires that these political fundraising entities get your consent for automated messaging, which also means they're required to let you opt out at will.
Most texts you get for political fundraising purposes will include some sort of instructions on how to make the messages stop (commonly by texting "STOP" back at them). It's also possible to try to avoid these messages from the start, with fundraising companies like ActBlue and WinRed noting that it's optional to add your phone number on their forms.
Adding your email, however, usually isn't optional. To opt out of further fundraising emails, you should be able to go to the bottom of any message you receive and find a link that lets you unsubscribe from the current mailing list. You might have to do this a few times across different fundraising messages, because your information might've ended up on multiple lists used by fundraising operations.
Will voting early make political text messages stop?
It might. In an interview with the Columbus Dispatch, Democratic consultant Dennis Willard said, "Every campaign watches every penny it spends ... If they're running their campaign properly, they're not talking to voters after they vote."
If political campaigns are able to incorporate your voting data from 2024 into their communications systems, you might be able to get off some lists by casting your 2024 ballot early.Â
What can I do about phishing scams?
If you suspect that an email you've received is not a run-of-the-mill annoying fundraising prompt but instead a phishing scheme in disguise, you should do two things: First, under no circumstances click through their links or give them any information about yourself. Second, forward the message to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org.
For more, find out what each major presidential candidate has said about the child tax credit.