Halloween is not until Sunday but the dirty tricksters are already come out and spooking voters.
In Houston, a shadowy group, the “Black Democratic Trust of Texas,” is circulating fliers that discourage black voters from voting a straight Democratic ticket.
TPM reports:
Misleading fliers are showing up on the windshields of vehicles at a predominately African-American polling place in Houston that claim to come from a non-existent group called the “Black Democratic Trust of Texas.”The fliers were placed on the windshields of vehicles at and near the Sunnyside Early Voting location and tell voters not to voter straight Democrat, according to Texas Democrats and local news reports.
The tricksters are not just using old-school tactics to confuse voters. The Electronic Privacy Information Center has compiled a report of deceptive Internet-based tricks, “E-Deceptive Campaign Practices: Technology and Democracy 2.0.”
Lillie Coney, EPIC’s Associate Director, notes:
Deceptive campaigns are attempts to misdirect targeted voters regarding the voting process for public elections. Historically, deceptive campaign practices have been aimed at reducing voter participation among low-income, minority, young, disabled, and elderly voters. Examples of deceptive election practices could include false statements about polling times, date of the election, voter identification rules, or the eligibility requirements for voters who wish to cast a ballot.
If you see something, call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) or send a tweet to #866OURVOTE.
