Obama tells you to GO VOTE! via text messaging
November 4, 2008 by Jayvee Fernandez
Filed under Cell phone
NOTE: If you are reading this now, it could mean that you’re an early bird at the polls OR you’re still home and have not yet cast your vote. GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!
As reported from Bloomberg:
Texting may do for the Democratic presidential candidate what arm-twisting precinct captains did in years past: prod millions to get out and vote. The Obama campaign plans to use the millions of cell-phone numbers it has amassed over the past 22 months to blast its supporters with that message today.
The biggest concern for the Obama campaign is getting young people — who have registered in record numbers and shown unprecedented interest in surveys — to turn out. In 2004, only 45 percent of those under 30 showed up to vote, according to Census data, making them just 16 percent of the electorate that year.
… Studies show that texting is among the most effective and cheapest ways of getting supporters, particularly blacks, Hispanics and younger voters, to the voting booth.
You know what, it was a novel idea, but this is quickly annoying. Obviously Obama won, (and for the record I voted for him, so please dont think I am hating on him or his supporters as I was a volunteer too!) but people sent me texts all day with my number reminding me to vote. I get charged by the text, as I imagine a lot of his voters did, and that gets irritating very quickly. Plus it eats up my memory space. If I had a phone like the xperia x1, or an iphone, or something with a large memory card I would not care and an unlimited texting plan. However, I doubt these ‘lower groups’ have either of those either. A note to anyone who is considering spam people with a good heart!