A voter mobilization group, AllVote, which is working to bolster Kamala Harris’s voter turnout efforts, recently left thousands of Pennsylvania voters in confusion after sending out erroneous text messages. The texts mistakenly informed recipients that they had “already voted,” sparking concerns that someone might have impersonated them at the polls. The message intended to remind voters of their 2022 midterm participation but inadvertently left out “in 2022,” causing many to believe their 2024 vote had somehow already been cast.
Following the outcry, AllVote apologized to affected voters, explaining that the error was due to a “copy-editing mistake.” However, the apology may not have reached everyone; according to CNN, voters who replied “stop” to the initial message were automatically removed from AllVote’s contact list, meaning they might not have received clarification about the error. AllVote spokesperson Charlotte Clymer addressed the confusion, assuring the public that the organization does not engage in phishing or data collection but rather focuses solely on voter turnout. In a statement, she said, “We’ve made our approval process substantially more rigorous to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
In response to the error, AllVote updated its website to clarify any inaccuracies and encourage voters to report any further issues. The website now reads, “Please let us know if we sent you incorrect polling place information but we have your correct address. To opt out, just reply ‘stop’ directly to the text message.”
This Pennsylvania mishap is not AllVote’s first misstep in the current election cycle. Days earlier, the Wisconsin Election Commission criticized AllVote for sending incorrect voting information to Wisconsin residents, including links that led voters to the wrong municipal election websites. Meagan Wolfe, Wisconsin’s chief election official, warned voters to be cautious when interacting with third-party voter outreach groups, pointing out that the unsolicited information “is often inaccurate and misleading.”
AllVote’s Wisconsin error reportedly impacted around 15,000 voters, who were directed to the wrong municipalities to vote. Clymer defended the group, noting that only 2% of AllVote’s 750,000 voter contacts this cycle contained errors. She emphasized that AllVote’s efforts are non-official, aiming solely to inform, stating, “We never represent ourselves as election officials.”
As Election Day approaches, the confusion generated by such outreach missteps underscores the importance of clear, accurate election information, especially when third-party organizations become involved. For voters, verifying details through official state and local election websites remains the most reliable approach to prevent confusion.