According to reports, the FBI is currently investigating robocalls that asked voters to stay home. A cybersecurity reporter tweeted, The FBI is investigating robocalls falsely telling people in several states that they can vote tomorrow if lines today are too long, a senior CISA official told reporters on a briefing call.” It is important to note that the Federal government is not aware of any other election technology being used other than the ones publicly reported. The source of this robocall is an illegal and probably unregistered service. A senior CISA official said, What we’ve shared and what’s out there is pretty much the body of knowledge” so far. The robocalls are meant to suppress the vote and encourage people from not exercising choice.
FBI investigating into robocalls asking voters to stay home
“Obviously this is FALSE and an effort to suppress the vote. No long lines and today is the last day to vote.
The Michigan Attorney General reported that multiple residents in Flint are getting robocalls that are encouraging them to stay at home due to long lines at the polling stations. She says that this illegal tactic is being used to suppress vote because today is the last day to vote. These robocalls are allegedly pretending to be a state service to trick people into not voting. Several people online are urging each other to vote no matter how long the lines. Voting is the foundation of democracy.
Last month, Dana Nessel, the Michigan Attorney General filed felony charges against such services. Two well-known out-of-state Republican operatives found themselves being charged with a felony for arranging robocalls. The robocalls were orchestrated with the aim to suppress voting in several areas including Detroit. The robocalls in question called people to discourage them from voting by stating that their personal information will be part of a public database. Robocalls are known for spreading misinformation and resorting to cheap tactics in attempts to suppress votes.
Tactics to suppress votes
“Any effort to interfere with, intimidate, or intentionally mislead Michigan voters will be met with swift and severe consequences. This effort specifically targeted minority voters in an attempt to deter them from voting in the November election”, she said in a statement.
A senior national security correspondent tweeted, The FBI is investigating robocalls around the country, a senior @CISAgov official tells reporters. “They happen every election cycle. Be mindful of people that are trying to intimidate you, undermine your confidence, but keep calm, vote on.
The Michigan Secretary of State told the public that they have received reports of an unknown party that is intentionally spreading misinformation via robocalls in order to suppress votes, most of these reports originate from Flint. These robocalls intend to confuse people regarding voting timings and days.
