Robo-calls, automated phone messages responsible for misleading voters, have become the center of a cross-border political scandal. Simultaneously, conservative leaders Prime Minister Stephen Harper and former US Sen. Rick Santorum, are coming under fire for allegedly using robo-calls to boost electoral support.
Elections Canada is investigating a telephone number used to place automatic calls — not unlike the AT-5000 autodialer shown on The Simpsons — used to misdirect non-Conservative voters to the incorrect polling station in Guelph, Ont., in the last federal election.
According to the investigation, the phony number came from a disposable cellphone, registered to a seemingly unnoticeable “Pierre Poutine” of Separatist Street, in Joliette, Que.
Known as a voter-suppression tactic, nine other Conservative campaigns used the services of Racknine, a call centre, to place fraudulent calls in Ontario. If found to be true, preventing electors from voting would violate Canada’s Election Act. In connection to these allegations, last week, a federal Conservative staff member resigned.
Facing allegations of cheating, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has repeatedly dismissed the charges. Still, Defence Minister Peter MacKay denies party responsibility, but deems the calls inappropriate, saying, “it’s certainly not something our party condones.”
Regardless of intent, voter suppression and misdirection sets a dangerous precedent.
Inappropriate or not, robo-calls are continuing to make waves south of the border. Before losing the Michigan primary yesterday, Santorum’s campaign sent out automated calls to voters, highlighting former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s opposition to the auto industry bailout in 2008 and 2009.
“Romney supported the bailouts for his Wall Street, billionaire buddies, but opposed the auto bailouts,” says the voice on the call. “That was a slap in the face to every Michigan worker, and we’re not going to let Romney get away with it.”
Santorum’s tactics were criticized by his rival Romney, who said they were a, “terrible, dirty trick,” and a “new low for his campaign.” Santorum defended his actions, telling reporters they were simply a means of reaching out to voters, Democratic and Republican alike, to garner support before Super Tuesday next week.
With election fatigue disaffecting voters in Canada and the U.S., allegations of voter suppression fosters increased distrust amongst the decision-making population.
The negative impact these robo-calls have on voters necessitates a political robo-cop; or at least some political robo-call policing. Robo-calls have become an unregulated black-hole of campaigning, and the public outcry against vote-tampering will, hopefully, lead to fairer standards of democratic protocol.
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Joanna Adams writes the Morning Cable, and lots more (mostly about entertainment), for Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter at †@nowstarringTO.
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