Does anyone know what the "Center for Voter Information" is?

[QED]

I just got a mailing from them titled "Voting Report Card for me"- it has my voting record for the last 4 general elections. It's just that I voted, not how.

It also has the name and address of two of my neighbors and their record - except their names and street numbers are blacked out.

"Public records indicate that you are eligible to vote in 2018. Who you vote for is private, but whether or not you vote is public record.

We're sending this mailing to you and your neighbors to share who does and does not vote in an effort to promote election participation. While we have hidden the name and street number of your neighbors to protect their privacy, there are their true voting records.

We will be reviewing these records after the election to determine whether or not you joined your neighbors in voting. We may call you to ask about your voting experience and will update this chart for the next elections. If you do not vote this year, while we will be disappointed, we'll be interested to hear why not."

I don't recall ever receiving something like this before. It's just kind of weird - and meaningless.

[hedda_foil]

1. I keep seeing their ads on MSNBC in Chicago.

This business of "whether you vote is public" seems more likely to depress than to increase voting. They seem to be very well funded too.

[JennyMominFL]

2. me too

I got one today also, In Orlando

[QED]

3. Maybe it isn't so bad?

Found an article about the group. They sent out absentee ballot apps in OK to increase voter participation.

Group says increased voter participation goal of targeted mailings

A nonprofit social welfare organization recently mailed out absentee ballot applications to 59,000 Oklahomans with the goal of increasing voter participation among groups that traditionally have had low voter turnouts.

African-Americans, Latinos, millennials and unmarried women were among groups targeted for the mass mailing by The Center for Voter Information.

"Voting is our most essential American right, and yet 40 million Americans who voted in 2016 likely won't cast a ballot in the 2018 midterms, said Lionel Dripps, program director for The Center for Voter Information.

https://newsok.com/article/5610936/group-says-increased-voter-participation-goal-of-targeted-mailings

[Dionaea1]

4. Letter from them claims we didn't vote, but we did!

Both my husband and I received letters yesterday that claim "Recent Votes Missed: 2014 General Election" for me and "Recent Votes Missed: 2010 General Election 2014 General Election" for my husband. It goes on to claim "I am writing because, after checking the pubic voting records, it seems that you have missed recent elections."
We voted in all of those elections! And the fact that we did vote in those elections should be in the public voting records.
As a volunteer for the local Democratic Party working to help elect a new Governor and a new State Senator, I know the records show both of us did vote. I've also checked and doublechecked to be sure we're both still on the voting rolls. We did both vote in the recent local election (sheriff, etc.) and will be voting in the Mid-Term Election on the 6th.
So who is "Lionel Dripps", what is "The Center for Voter Information", and why are these misleading letters going out? Who are they sending these letters to? If the letters are inaccurate, what is the purpose?

[Rhiannon12866]

5. I don't know the answers to all your questions, but I did find out a little

The The Voter Participation Center was founded in 2003 and here's the Wikipedia entry, sounds like it's hoping to increase voter participation in exactly the demographics we want to encourage to vote, though it's also faced some serious controversies, and Lionel Dripps is the managing director. Hope this helps and welcome to DU!


The Voter Participation Center (VPC) is a non-profit organization in the United States. It seeks to increase voter registration among Americans, including unmarried women, people of color and young people.[1][2] Founded as Women's Voices Women Vote in 2003 by political activist Page Gardner, the organization is based in Washington, D.C.

The VPC runs a large direct mail program, sending voter registration materials to targeted voters, including unmarried women.[3][4] It also produces research material on demographic and voting trends.[5] The group has occasionally faced controversy over its methods of voter registration and voter turnout.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Voter_Participation_Center

[Roland99]

6. Getting bad press in FL

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/homeowners-receive-letters-mail-neighbors-voting-record

https://www.facebook.com/63851712209/posts/10156857802337210/

[JohnnyC_Note]

7. No Such Person

I also received a letter, but it was addressed to someone who’s never lived here, so I'm returning it…

[peanut77]

8. 'Center for Voter Information' hitting Florida hard in April and June

Last edited Tue Jul 7, 2020, 07:50 PM - Edit history (1)

I am a registered Democrat and I received a letter in mid June from Center for Voter Information giving me a score of 'below average' as a voter. My score, according to the letter, is from 'data obtained from publicly available state voter files'.

Now, having looked at what is publicly available, they can see my race, my age, gender, zip code, political party. They could see I've been a registered voter in Florida since 2002. So what is it about any of those data points that leads one to the conclusion I am a 'below average' voter? This organization is treading on extremely thin ice and engaging in voter suppression as far as I am concerned. Are they culling their data based on my gender? Age? Zip Code? Political Party? Even though they are supposedly 'left leaning', what is the point of sending a registered Democrat a letter stating they are 'below average' other than to convey the message that I am 'too stupid to vote' or "not worthy of voting'? By what standard? Their completely BS metric to 'measure' voters is not only questionable, I believe it is designed to engage in voter suppression. Who are they targeting to waste the postage on to tell a registered voter they are 'below average'. Does that sound like something designed to get out the vote?

The forms are poorly rendered and over 311,000 went out in Florida without the required signature line. The real purpose of this group seems to be to confuse the voting public and instill mistrust in the whole voting process. I filed a complaint with the Brennan Center and the ACLU and also contacted my state Division of Elections to lodge a formal complaint. They are creating absolute havoc in Florida right now. In April they targeted the East Coast (Miami side) of Florida and the Supervisor of Elections in Palm Beach County let them know of the problems, but then in June they are targeting the West Coast of Florida and they did not fix known problems with their mailings. What kind of ethical outfit continues to send out faulty mailings knowing there are problems? What is the real agenda with that because it isn't about voter education as they claim on their website.


Here is a recent newspaper story on their work in Florida in June: https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/state/2020/06/16/florida-election-officials-blast-nonprofit-voter-registration-group-over-errors/3200235001/

and from the April 2020 Florida mailings: https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/2020/04/09/voters-participation-center-center-voter-information-letters-arent-official/5121369002/

This is a letter posted on the Broward County Supervisor of Elections website to the Florida Secretary of State signed by multiple County Supervisor of Election officials in Florida from April, 2020: https://www.browardsoe.org/Portals/Broward/Documents/2020Elections/Letter-to-Secretary-Lee-4-7-2020-VPC-CVI-Media-Advisory-4-15-2020.pdf

[marble falls]

9. If it pisses off one voter who was thinking of passing this election date off, and he goes to ...

vote and he votes for Joe, it'll be all worth it. Do they really want to DARE people to vote???

[peanut77]

10. Center for Voter Information is a deceptive shell organization - Creating havoc in Florida

It is deceptive counter productive mailing. It doesn't inspire anyone to vote. Read this link, it is currently posted on the Broward County Supervisor of Elections webpage about the deceptive mailings in Florida April, 2020:

https://www.browardsoe.org/Portals/Broward/Documents/2020Elections/Letter-to-Secretary-Lee-4-7-2020-VPC-CVI-Media-Advisory-4-15-2020.pdf

This was sent to the Florida Secretary of State on behalf of the county Supervisor of Elections for multiple Florida counties.

[TonyRigatoni]

11. Suspicious - Sound an Alarm!

Perhaps the Republican dirty tricksters are trying to get Dems to think that if they return this form, they will be registered for voting by mail. And when they find out they aren’t, it will be too late.

[gopiscrap]

13. welcome to DU

[live love laugh]

12. I agree with meaningless. But then I can see this being intimidating

to some—the very fact that somebody’s watching their vote might deter some.