Political Databases

Political databases (also known as voter databases) are utilized by political candidates and parties at all levels of the campaign process

Uses

Fundraising – mail/telephone callsRecruitment - volunteers Issue trackingGet Out The Vote (GOTV) – Increase

voter identificationBasically, it increases volunteer efforts

and information feedback

Help America Vote Act (HAVA)

Passed in 2002 to solve problems from the 2000 election

“Written with the aim of establishing uniform voting requirements in federal elections and the updating of voting technology across the different states (Thernstrom)”

Including a clause that mandated each state compile a registered voter database by 2006

The state’s registered voter databases are then sold at varying prices

Each state’s databases differ in terms of the information included, certain restrictions, how much they are sold for, and to whom

Companies buy the databases and often merge them with other information and databases to sell to parties and campaigns.

At this level they usually include information on which candidate they are most likely to vote for, and/or who they have voted for in the past

Where does the info come from?

Mostly from “public information” sources that can be bought (legally).

CensusField workersConsumer polls

GOP’s Voter Vault

Began use in 2002 Information on an “estimated” 168 million

voters Compiled mostly in India Uses a point system to determine which party

each voter is most likely to vote for This point system also helps to determine

which voters may be easily swayed

DPG’s VoteBuilder

Signed with Voter Activation Network (VAN) in 2007 to create their “nationwide voter profile”.

Similar (in use) to Voter Vault Also helps keep campaign workers in touch and on

the same page throughout each state and the country Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook, is highly

involved It is generally believed “to be playing catch up” with

Voter Vault

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/11/01/172222.php http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/02/

dnc_announces_c.php http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/10/obamas-

secret-w.html http://www.voteractivationnetwork.com/service.asp http://www.techpresident.com/blog/entry/30139/

may_the_best_database_win_a_look_at_the_voter_files_powering_the_08_race