YORK, Pa. — Phones are ringing off the hook, as political campaigns reach out to prospective voters.
While Pennsylvania candidates are trying to woo last-minute voters, many people are being turned off by the constant notifications.
“I vote every year and I vote in every local election," said Pa. resident Hope Mincer. "I don’t understand why I’m being targeted with all these calls.”
“I know who I want to vote for and who I don’t," said local resident Joyce Turner. "No amount of texting or annoying phone calls is going to make me want to vote for your candidate anymore.”
York County locals like Turner and Mincer say they’re being inundated with political messages. Regardless of how many times they delete and block numbers, the calls just keep on coming.
“In the last four days, I have blocked 16 numbers and they have been political numbers," said Turner.
“I’ve been getting too many phone calls and text messages, and all I do is delete them," said Mincer.
“I’ve received text messages from, probably, two dozen different sources over the past few weeks," said Scott Foulkrod, a legal studies professor at Harrisburg University.
He says political text messages and calls are given broad leeway when it comes to the Do Not Call Registry.
According to the FCC, calls to landlines and texts to cell phones are allowed without the consent of the recipient.
“Usually, these types of calls or texts require expressed consent," said Foulkrod. "But political text messages and such are exempted from that.”
While political messages have some exemptions, the FCC still has limitations in place. Robotexts can be opted out by texting ‘STOP’ and messages can’t be sent out using automated technology.
Foulkrod adds that despite the annoying nature of the messages, it’s part of the overall strategy of campaigns to get people to the polls.
“It’s important that, as citizens, we not only vote, but become educated on the campaigns and those who wish to be elected," said Foulkrod.