Is there a way to get politicians to stop calling you with recorded messages?

Question

Several local politicians have sent recorded messages to my home for some local elections recently.  I asked some of them to take me off their lists and their people politely complied.  Others didn't respond.  However, one candidate responded with a shrill email that said I'd have to rescind my voter's registration to get off her list.  When I responded that she was being unreasonable, she got even shriller and sent a post full of underlined, capitalized, bolded remarks, basically saying I was being unreasonable in asking her not to call me on my personal phone.

Just today she responded to that saying that it was clear to her that *I* had an agenda.  Yeah, my agenda was to get politicians to stop calling me in my home.

So here are my questions.

Is it possible for politicians to take someone off their call list?  She claims it is not.  Others apparently disagree.

Is there any recourse against politicians who send repeated recorded messages to my home?

Jane D · Accepted Answer

the recordings (known as robo calls) are usually random.  they'll dial 555-0001, then 555-0002 and so on.  it's virtually impossible to be removed because there really isn't a specific "list".

the calls from actual people at phone banks are based on a list and your name appears on it because you fall into a specific category they are trying to reach.  it's also difficult to be removed from these.  for example, if they're calling everyone that lives in a certain section of town this week, and next week they're calling people between 18 & 35 years old, if you fit both of those categories, you will appear on each of those lists. sorry!  the best advice i can give you is to screen your calls at election time if you don't want to talk, or politely decline the conversation.  (to be quite frank, being rude to these callers just gives them a funny story to share with the other volunteers.)

and no, there is really no recourse worth pursuing.  it will come down to a matter of "he said, she said" if you can even gather enough information and evidence to build a credible case.

Anonymous · Answer

Well, In Denmark we'd report them to the police for breaking the law. If your law doesn't protect basic privacy like that, you live in one shitty country :)

Is there a way to get politicians to stop calling you with recorded messages?

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