What is a Political Call? Know how to stop it!

Trrr Trrr!🔔📞 Your phone rings. Is it a friend? Family? Nope, it’s a political call again.

You hear a robotic voice from a candidate you don’t know, asking you to vote or talking bad about their opponent. Or it could be a real person who is too happy to call during dinner.

Love them or hate them, political calls are a campaign staple. But how do they work, and can they legally keep blowing up your phone? 📱

Stick around; we promise to break it all down without asking for your vote!

What is a Political call?

A political call is a phone call made by political campaigns or groups, parties, or organizations to voters in order to inform, influence opinions, or encourage individuals to take specific actions, such as voting for a candidate or supporting a policy.

These calls may be either automated or live and target specific types of voters or demographics.

How Political Calls Work:

• A campaign records a message, often featuring the candidate’s voice or a representative.
• The message is then sent to thousands or even millions of phone numbers using automated calling technology.

Political calls are a mainstay of modern-day political campaigns, a direct line of communication between candidates and voters.

They are used to:

1️⃣ Share campaign messages

2️⃣ Promote policies or initiatives

3️⃣ Conduct voter surveys

4️⃣ Encourage voter turnout

5️⃣ Solicit donations

What Are the Different Types of Political Calls?

Political calls come in different forms, each with a specific goal, from surveys to campaign updates.

Let’s dive into the main types and their purposes.

1. Robocalls (Automated Calls)

Robocalls are pre-recorded messages sent to a large number of voters at once using automated dialing systems. These calls are the most common type of political calls because they are cost-effective and used to share campaign messages, reminders, or attack opponents.

Example:

• “Hi, this is [Candidate Name]. Don’t forget to vote on Election Day, March 5th!”

2. Live Calls (Volunteer or Paid Calalers)

Live calls are more personal and interactive and are the most common types of political calls. These calls are made by real people, often volunteers or paid staff, to engage directly with voters and make them effective for persuasion and answering voters’ questions.

Example: 

• A volunteer calls to discuss a candidate’s policy on education and asks if you need help finding your polling location.

3. Survey Calls (Push Polls)

These calls are designed to collect voter opinions or subtly influence them through leading questions. Survey calls provide campaigns with data while influencing voters’ perceptions in shaping public or voters opinion and electoral outcomes.

Example:

• “Would you be more or less likely to vote for [Candidate] if you knew they supported [Controversial Issue]?”

4. Issue Advocacy Calls

Issue advocacy calls focused on specific policy issues rather than promoting a particular candidate. These calls are mainly made to raise awareness about key issues and mobilize like-minded voters. Issue advocacy calls are the types of political calls that the ones voters are likely to encounter during the election.

Example:

• “Hi, this is [Advocacy Group]. Did you know [Issue] affects thousands of families in our community? Learn more at [Website].”

5. Political Campaign Calls

Political Campaign Calls are calls made by political candidates or their teams to share campaign updates, rally support, and inform voters about important events or issues. These calls are often used to mobilize voters, provide information, and encourage engagement in the political process.

Example:

• A call reminding voters to attend a campaign rally or vote on election day.

How to Identify Political Calls?

Not sure if that call was political. There are a few signs that can help you figure it out. Let’s look at how to identify political calls easily.

• Caller ID Information: Many political calls come from numbers tied to campaigns or groups. They might show up as “Political Call” on your caller ID.

• Precorded Messages (Robocalls): You might get automated calls with messages from candidates or political parties, especially during elections.

• Live Callers Talking About Elections: If someone calls you to talk about how you plan to vote or to promote a candidate, it is probably a political call.

• Requests for Donations or Support: Political campaigns often call to ask for money, volunteers, or voter support. Be careful and check if they are real before you give anything.

• Surveys and Polling Calls: Some calls are from polling groups asking for your opinions on political matters.

• Sense of Urgency or Persuasion Tactics: Political calls may try to make you feel like you need to act quickly, like voting or donating.

How to Stop Political Calls?

Political telemarketing calls are overwhelming and annoying, especially around election time. If you’re tired of receiving unwanted political calls from candidates, organizations, or campaigns, there are steps you can take to reduce or stop them.

Here’s a detailed guide on how to stop political calls:

I. Register with the National Do Not Call Registry

The National Do Not Call Registry has a free service that enables consumers to opt out of being called at home for some telemarketing calls, including some political calls. The registry tries to provide consumers with more control over the type of calls they receive at home.

How to Register:

• Visit donotcall.gov.
• Enter your phone number and email address.
• Verify your registration by clicking the link sent to your email.

II. Contact the Campaign or Organization Directly

If you are receiving calls from a specific organization or campaign, you can request to be taken off their call list. This will reduce unwanted calls and help only calls that concern you to come through.

How to Do It:

• Answer the call and politely request to be removed from their list.
• If it’s a robocall, listen for an option to opt out (e.g., “Press 2 to unsubscribe”).
• Visit the campaign’s website and look for a “Contact Us” or “Privacy Policy” section to submit an opt-out request.

III. Use Call-Blocking Apps

Call-blocking applications are similarly effective measures in managing unwanted calls, including those from political campaigns. There are several popular apps for this purpose, such as Truecaller, YouMail, Hiya, and Nomorobo, with each offering its own unique features to enhance your call management experience.

How to use:

• Download the app from your device’s app store.
• Follow the setup instructions to enable call blocking.
• Customize settings to block political or spam calls.

IV. Enable Do Not Disturb Mode

In today’s smartphone world, Do Not Disturb mode is available on most phones. The feature allows a user to silence calls from unknown numbers and not in their contact list, providing a simple mechanism to minimize disturbance.

How to enable:

• iPhone: Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb.
• Android: Go to Settings > Sound & Vibration > Do Not Disturb.
• Customize settings to allow calls from contacts only.

V. Report Unwanted Calls

If you are getting unwanted political calls, you need to know that it is possible to report such instances to the relevant authorities. This can solve the issue and can also reduce the number of unwanted calls that you receive.

How to Report:

• In the U.S.: File a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) at FCC.gov.
• In Other Countries: Check with your local telecommunications regulator for reporting options.

VI. Consider Changing Your Phone Number

If the political calls are overwhelming and the solutions above do not assist in alleviating the issue, a phone number change is an option. Though a drastic step and one that should be a last resort, this can give a fresh start and minimize the number of unwanted calls.

How to Do It:

• Contact your phone carrier to request a number change.
• Be cautious about sharing your new number to avoid it being added to calling lists.

The Impact of Political Calls on Society

Political calls influence voter awareness, engagement, and decision-making by spreading campaign messages and encouraging participation.

While they help educate the public, excessive or misleading calls can lead to annoyance, misinformation, and distrust. Proper regulations and responsible campaigning can balance their impact on society.

Here are some of the positive and negative impacts of political calls on society:

Are political robocalls legal?

The legality of political robocalls in the United States will depend on a variety of factors, including the type of call, the content, and whether the recipient has agreed to receive such a call.

Here are key things to remember:

A. Federal Regulations

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have oversight authority over robocalls through the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This legislation lays down the rules for the use of automatic dialing apparatus, recorded messages, and text-based messages.

B. Political Robocalls

Robocalls of a political nature to landlines are generally allowed to be made without prior consent. Political campaigns, however, must get express prior consent when making robocalls to cell phones. Prior express consent means that the political campaign must first receive permission from the recipient before sending a robocall to the user’s cell phone.

C. Do-Not-Call Registry

Political robocalls are exempt from the National Do-Not-Call Registry and, therefore, can be made to registry numbers. In the case of having a recipient disclosed or asked not to be called by a certain campaign or organization, however, that particular campaign must vow to adhere to that request.

D. Caller Identification

Political robocalls are to provide adequate caller identification information. That is, the caller ID is to provide the name of the calling organization or campaign and a contact phone number or address.

Political robocalls are generally legal under federal law, but they must comply with specific regulations regarding consent, caller identification, and content.

Conclusion

Political calls are the primary campaign, advocacy group, and policymaker tool for engaging voters, sending information, and influencing opinion. Political calls occur in countless configurations, including campaign calls, polling, solicitations, and voting reminders. Though the actual telephone calls themselves are capable of raising awareness regarding elections and policy issues, the political calls are an intrusion, especially during heavy campaigns.

Being aware of how to identify and handle political calls makes you the authority of your communication. Regardless of whether you decide to respond to them or take action on unwanted calls, understanding what they are for helps you make better decisions and handle election time more efficiently.

FAQs

How Can I Protect Myself From Political Call Scams?

To avoid political call scams, ignore unsolicited calls, verify donation links through official websites, and be cautious of urgent requests. If a call seems suspicious, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or local authorities.

Why Does My Phone Number Show up as “Political Call” When I Call People?

Your number may show as “Political Call” due to caller ID algorithms, spam detection services, or past associations with political activities. To fix this, check your caller ID settings, verify your number with your carrier, and dispute incorrect labeling through services like Hiya or Nomorobo.

How to Stop Political Calls and Texts?

Here’s how you can stop political calls and texts:

• Reply “STOP” to opt out of legitimate messages.
• Use call-blocking apps like Robokiller.
• Adjust phone settings to block unknown senders.
• Report spam calls and texts to 7726 (SPAM)

Why Am I Getting Political Phone Calls?

Political organizations, campaigns, and advocacy groups use phone calls to reach voters, share their messages, and encourage participation in elections. Your number may have been obtained from voter registration records, political donations, or data brokers that provide contact lists.

How to Handle Political Calls?

If you want to reduce political calls, you can:

• Register for the National Do Not Call List
• Ask to Be Removed
• Use Call Blocking Features
• Report Unwanted Calls

Why Political Calls Matter?

Political calls matter because they help candidates and organizations connect with voters, share important information, and encourage participation in elections. These calls are vital for raising awareness about policies, upcoming events, and voting processes.

How to Block Political Calls?

You can follow these steps to block political calls:

• Use your phone’s built-in blocking features.
• Install third-party call-blocking apps like Robokiller or Nomorobo.
• Consider using a secondary “burner” number for non-personal interactions