Isabella Carter
Political robocalls and text messages have become a common way for campaigns to reach voters. During election season, it is likely that you will receive an increased number of calls and texts from political campaigns. While this may be annoying, there are ways to reduce the number of calls and texts you receive.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Political campaign calls and texts | Exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements |
| Political robocalls to mobile phones | Require prior consent |
| Political robocalls to landlines | Allowed without prior consent |
| Political robocalls to residential landlines without prior consent | Limited to no more than three calls within any consecutive 30-day period |
| Revoking consent | Can be done at any time and in any reasonable manner, such as replying "stop" to a text or asking not to be called again on a voice call |
| Political text messages sent to a mobile phone using an autodialer | Require the called party's prior express consent |
| Manually sent political text messages | Can be sent without prior consent |
| Reporting unsolicited texts | Forward to 7726 ("SPAM") or file a complaint online |
| Blocking unwanted calls | Use call blocking tools provided by phone companies or block the number on your phone |
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What You'll Learn
- Block the number: You can block the number to prevent calls and texts from that number from reaching you
- Report spam: You can report spam by forwarding the text to 7726 or SPAM
- Opt-out: You can opt-out of receiving further messages by replying STOP or Unsubscribe
- Do Not Call Registry: Although political campaigns are exempt, registering may help stop other related calls?
- Contact the campaign: If you keep receiving messages from a campaign, contact them and ask to be removed from their list
Block the number: You can block the number to prevent calls and texts from that number from reaching you
If you are receiving unwanted political phone calls, one option to stop them is to block the number. By blocking the number, you can prevent calls and texts from that specific number from reaching you. Here are the steps to block a number on different types of devices:
IPhone
To block a number on an iPhone, go to the Phone app and tap on "Favorites," "Recents," or "Voicemail." Tap the number or contact you want to block, scroll down, and then tap "Block Caller." You can also enable "Silence Unknown Callers" in your settings to only receive notifications for calls from people in your contacts or recent outgoing calls. Additionally, you can turn on "Call Blocking & Identification" to silence potential spam or fraud calls, which will be automatically sent to voicemail.
Android
For Android devices, open your Phone app and tap on "Call History." Tap on a call from the number you want to block, and then tap "Block / Report Spam." You can also enable "Unknown" in your blocked numbers settings to block private or unidentified numbers. However, please note that this will not block numbers that are stored in your contacts.
Galaxy Phones
On a Galaxy phone, open the Phone app and tap on the three vertical dots to access the menu. Tap on "Settings," then tap on "Block Numbers." You can turn on the option to block calls from unknown numbers or add a specific number you want to block. If you want to block voicemails from specific callers, you may need to contact your carrier directly.
By following these steps, you can effectively block unwanted political calls and prevent them from disturbing you again.
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Report spam: You can report spam by forwarding the text to 7726 or SPAM
Political campaign-related autodialed or prerecorded voice calls, including autodialed live calls, autodialed texts, and prerecorded voice messages, are prohibited to cell phones, pagers, or other mobile devices without the called party's prior express consent. If you are receiving texts that you didn't ask for, you can report spam by forwarding the text to 7726 or SPAM. This will alert your cellular provider to open an investigation on the contents of the message.
To forward a phishing message on an Android device, tap the message to open the conversation view, ensuring that you do not click on any links within the message. From the conversation view, press and hold the message you want to forward until a menu prompt appears. From the menu prompt, select "Forward" or an arrow icon, which will direct you to a new message draft or a contact list. Enter 7726 in the "To:" field and press "Send".
To forward a phishing message on an iOS device, tap the message to open the conversation view, again ensuring that you do not click on any links within the message. From the conversation view, press and hold the message you want to forward until a menu prompt appears. From the menu prompt, select "More..." to present a checklist of messages to select for forwarding. Select any additional messages to include and then tap the arrow icon in the bottom right corner to create a new message draft. As with Android, enter 7726 in the "To:" field and press "Send".
In Canada, reporting spam to 7726 is free and will not count towards your data or messaging usage package. It is important to note that legitimate organizations, including government departments, will not try to conduct business over a text message.
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Opt-out: You can opt-out of receiving further messages by replying STOP or Unsubscribe
If you're tired of receiving political phone calls and text messages, you can opt out by replying "STOP" or "Unsubscribe". This is an easy and effective way to stop unwanted messages from a particular campaign or candidate. It is a simple and automated process that will save you time and hassle.
When you reply with the word "STOP", your phone number will be automatically removed from the sender's text list. This is a universal command, and most automated systems will immediately confirm that you have been removed from the list. You will no longer receive messages from that number. It is important to note that only single-word messages will trigger the block, so simply replying "STOP" is enough.
The process is the same for both text messages and emails. By replying "STOP" or "Unsubscribe", you are opting out of further messages and revoking your consent to receive them. This is in line with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines, which require political campaigns to obtain prior express consent for autodialed or prerecorded voice calls and texts to mobile phones.
It is worth mentioning that political campaigns are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements. However, if you are receiving unwanted texts, you can forward them to 7726 ("SPAM") to report the sender. Additionally, if you continue to receive messages from a campaign after opting out, you can reach out to their campaign directly and request to be removed from their list.
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Do Not Call Registry: Although political campaigns are exempt, registering may help stop other related calls
One way to limit the number of political phone calls you receive is to register with the National Do Not Call Registry. This registry is a list that tells registered telemarketers which numbers not to call. While it does not apply to political calls, registering may help stop other related calls, such as unwanted sales calls from companies. It is free to register your phone number, and you can do so by visiting DoNotCall.gov or calling 1-888-382-1222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236) from the phone you want to register.
It is important to note that even if you register, you may still receive political calls during election season. This is because political campaigns are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements. However, these calls are still subject to certain rules, such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). For example, political robocalls to mobile phones generally require your prior consent, and you can revoke your consent at any time by replying "STOP" or asking not to be called again. If you receive political calls or texts that do not comply with the FCC's rules, you can file an informal complaint with the FCC or report the sender by forwarding the messages to 7726 (or "SPAM").
In addition to registering with the Do Not Call Registry, you can also try setting your smartphone to filter unknown numbers and using "STOP" or "Unsubscribe" options for automated texts or emails. If you continue to receive unwanted calls, you can look into call-blocking and call-labeling services, which can help reduce the number of unwanted calls you receive. These services are available for cell phones, traditional landlines, and home phones that make calls over the internet (VoIP).
While it may not be possible to completely stop all political phone calls, by taking advantage of the Do Not Call Registry, understanding your rights under the TCPA, and utilizing call-blocking and call-labeling services, you can significantly reduce the number of unwanted calls you receive.
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Contact the campaign: If you keep receiving messages from a campaign, contact them and ask to be removed from their list
If you're receiving unwanted political phone calls, it's likely because we're in the midst of an election season. While this is a busy time for political campaigns, you don't have to put up with constant phone calls. If you've unsubscribed from a candidate's messages but are still receiving them, you can contact the campaign directly and ask to be removed from their list. Here are some steps you can take to effectively stop those annoying political phone calls.
First, understand your rights. During election seasons, it's common to receive an influx of calls and texts from political campaigns. While these calls and texts are generally exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements, they are still subject to specific rules outlined by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This means that, in most cases, campaigns must have your prior consent to send you robocalls or robotexts on your mobile phone. However, there is an exception for landlines, where political campaigns are permitted to make robocalls without your prior consent, but these are limited to no more than three calls within any consecutive 30-day period.
Now that you know your rights, here's what you can do to stop those pesky political phone calls. Start by identifying the source of the calls. Is it a specific campaign or candidate that is repeatedly contacting you? Once you've identified the source, try to locate their contact information. You can usually find this on their website or social media pages. It's in the campaign's best interest to help you with your request, as they don't want to lose your support over unwanted phone calls.
When you have their contact information, reach out to the campaign directly. You can do this by sending an email, filling out a contact form on their website, or even calling them. Politely explain that you are repeatedly receiving unwanted phone calls from their campaign and firmly request that they remove your phone number from their calling list. Provide them with your phone number and any other relevant details, such as your name or address, to help them accurately identify and remove your contact information from their database.
If the campaign continues to contact you after you've made a removal request, you have further options. You can try contacting them again, this time more firmly insisting that they cease all communication with you. You can also inform them that you will be taking further action if the calls persist. Additionally, you can explore blocking options through your phone service provider or third-party call-blocking services. These services can help prevent unwanted calls from reaching your phone.
Remember, you have the right to revoke your consent for receiving political phone calls at any time. By understanding your rights and taking proactive steps, you can effectively stop unwanted political phone calls and enjoy a little more peace and quiet.
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Frequently asked questions
You can text the word "STOP" back to the sender, assuming it is a legitimate political campaign and not a scammer. Legitimate campaigns have agreed to remove anyone who asks to be taken off their calling or text lists.
If you've unsubscribed from a candidate's messages but keep getting them, reach out to their campaign and ask to be removed from their list. They are more likely to help because they don't want to lose your vote over a few unwanted texts.
Make sure you're on the National "do not call" registry. Political campaigns themselves do not follow this list, but it may help stop other related calls. You can also set your smartphone to filter unknown numbers.
You can file an informal complaint with the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints.
