Early Voting Robo-Calls Wreak Havoc in Pasco

Some Pasco County voters, eager to cast their ballots in the Nov. 6 general election, had a false start yesterday when hundreds of robo-calls were made telling them that early voting had begun.

According to Brian Corley, Pasco’s supervisor of elections, the group Organizing for America placed the calls, which indicated early voting had begun Oct. 2. As a result of those calls, Corley’s offices were “inundated” with inquiries from voters ready to cast their ballots.

Early voting does not begin until Oct. 27 in Pasco and it ends Nov. 3.

Corley’s office was alerted to the calls when a voter arrived at the Land O’ Lakes elections office hoping to cast a ballot. A staff member asked the voter where his information came from on the early voting start time and the person produced a cell phone message from the number 813-445-5126. The message indicated the wrong start time for early voting.

"I have made contact with the Organizing for America folks and they are aware of the situation,” Corley wrote in a media release. “They have pledged to cease sending voters confusing messages with misinformation and will re-evaluate the robo-call message.”

Misleading, third-party information isn’t uncommon around election season. It’s also not uncommon in Pasco.

During the 2008 election cycle, Corley said his office ran into lots of problems related to third-party voter registration drives. Nine-year-olds were asked to register. Pets received mailers asking them to sign up. Registered voters were even told they needed to register again.

“Third-party groups can cause issues,” Corley said during a previous interview. “When in doubt, check with is.”

For official voter information in Pasco, visit the supervisor’s office online.