Unsolicited text messages to voters draw attention of chief electoral officer
'I found it kind of invasive,' says Marcus Kingston, after multiple phone calls
New Brunswick's chief Electoral officer is considering what action to take in light of a possible violation of electoral rules by a group that's been making unsolicited calls to New Brunswick voters.
Over the last few days, dozens of New Brunswick voters have been receiving unsolicited calls and texts from a group referring to itself as New Brunswick Proud.
CBC received several complaints about the group, and many are complaining about being contacted by them on social media. There are a few different versions of the text messages, but most say something like:
"Hi, it's Pam from New Brunswick Proud. Election day is Monday. Together we can end the carbon tax and make life affordable for our families. Will you vote?"
That's exactly the kind of text message Marcus Kingston, from Fredericton, received on his cell phone, but not until after the group had already called him five times, with similar messages.
"I found it kind of invasive and put kind of a sour taste in my mouth," Kingston said.
Kingston said the experience made him feel uncomfortable and violated his privacy, and he wants to know how the group got his phone number.
Chief Electoral Officer Kim Poffenroth would like to know the same thing. She received a text message from the group herself, and since she can't vote because of her role as the province's chief electoral officer, her name isn't on the voter's list. Besides, she said, Elections NB doesn't publicize people's phone numbers.
Got an automated call from NB Proud today wanting to poll.
—@starrcooksonElections NB has received one official complaint about the group, and in an interview Sunday morning, Poffenroth said the agency has been trying to get in touch with the group.
She also said the group was violating election rules as they weren't meeting identification requirements and didn't register as a third party group.
However, after that story was published, the group reached out to Elections NB. In a statement from Poffenroth Sunday afternoon, she said the group had "misidentified" themselves in recent materials, and that they are actually registered, but under the name of "Proudly NB."
"They have undertaken to take the corrective measures identified by Elections NB, specifically using the correct registered name and complying with disclosure requirements," said Poffenroth in her statement.
"It has not determined what, if any, further actions Elections NB will be taking with respect to possible violations of the Political Process Financing Act."
During the recent provincial election in Ontario, a group calling itself Ontario Proud produced advertisements and social media content critical of the Liberals and NDP, and focused on getting out the vote in the final days of the campaign.
It's not clear whether the group making calls and sending texts in New Brunswick is affiliated with that one. But a Facebook group calling itself New Brunswick Proud does feature several anti-liberal and pro-conservative posts.
None of the five political parties in the province has claimed any association with the group.
Calls by CBC to the agent listed as a representative for Proudly NB have not been returned.
Poffenroth said if people are concerned about these calls or how their phone numbers were accessed, they can reach out to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.