Message from Washington County Supervisor of Elections Carol Rudd …………………….

UPDATE Submitted by the Washington County Supervisor of Elections

Good morning again —

I spoke with Jen Carrier this morning to relay the concerns of the voters who have already called. This is the letter she forwarded to me.

Carol F. Rudd, MFCEP
Supervisor of Elections
Washington County, FL

Please note: Florida has a very broad public records law. Written communications to or from state officials regarding state business constitute public records and are available to the public and media upon request unless the information is subject to a specific statutory exemption. Therefore, your e-mail message may be subject to public disclosure.

Dear Director Matthews and Supervisor Lux–
I write on behalf of my client, the Voter Participation Center (VPC), to provide additional information regarding VPC’s next mailings into Florida. The mailings are expected to land in mailboxes the first week of September. This dropbox link (Florida VPC Materials<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.dropbox.com_sh_gdbnc2l84jgr6u8_AABaW09YWvO-5FJ0gNdU8cSarha-3Fdl-3D0&d=DwMFaQ&c=qmgb7o64HbcJ-G-pnw2rSw&r=4DAq7Gf8ZYw5MHkD8fBLnAZeQiY6cUy-rxEj2rsYAiA&m=wJn72nzxAgZXCKsSJtoqpxErhJ1ajRILdeYlBMLycRY&s=dGGsOYFBB5JpkRBPXLr1U9iKIPRZRIaHeidg0BnXUTU&e=>) includes a document with the number of mailings that will be sent within each political subdivision, along with sample mailings.
What is the Voter Participation Center?
The Voter Participation Center<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.voterparticipation.org_&d=DwMFaQ&c=qmgb7o64HbcJ-G-pnw2rSw&r=4DAq7Gf8ZYw5MHkD8fBLnAZeQiY6cUy-rxEj2rsYAiA&m=NNvH3_XFEy8SxfhL-Qa9C7ioV5uqvxMA7dsjKCuu4Vo&s=DNN_SH4NRKkvPW4vPitMyZqSpvudRzwW4ZRd-vGezqw&e=> utilizes direct mail pieces to foster registration and voting by under-represented populations in the American electorate. Since 2003, approximately 4 million Americans (including approximately 474,000 citizens of Florida) have returned their voter registration applications to elections officials across the country due to VPC and its partners.
VPC works hard to keep its mailings and address lists accurate. To better understand VPC and its mailings, please CLICK HERE<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5zuBijteuQ&feature=youtu.be> for a short video.
Current Mailing
As with its prior registration mailings, these mailings will contain voter registration applications and helpful information for unregistered voters. The registration mailings will go to unregistered young people who will be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections for the first time, to voters who have recently moved and have not re-registered or updated their voter registration records (according to the latest available information), and others who are unregistered in the voting age population. Some of the mailings are addressed to a specific person VPC believes is unregistered, while others are addressed to “Current Resident.”
VPC makes it clear to mail recipients that the mailing is coming from a non-government organization. The mailings include a letter from Page Gardner, President of VPC, urging citizens to register to vote. A separate disclaimer includes VPC’s phone number, website, explanation that they are a non-government and non-profit organization, and language that states: “VPC is not affiliated with state or local election officials.”
Mailing List Accuracy
VPC uses the best technology available to ensure that its mail recipients are eligible to vote and unregistered. Unfortunately, no state makes available a list of individuals who are unregistered or ineligible. As a result, VPC must use commercially available residential databases and match them to the state’s voter file to determine who is unregistered and otherwise eligible. VPC then takes more than a dozen steps to improve the accuracy of the list. See the “List Protocol” document in the dropbox link (Florida VPC Materials<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.dropbox.com_sh_gdbnc2l84jgr6u8_AABaW09YWvO-5FJ0gNdU8cSarha-3Fdl-3D0&d=DwMFaQ&c=qmgb7o64HbcJ-G-pnw2rSw&r=4DAq7Gf8ZYw5MHkD8fBLnAZeQiY6cUy-rxEj2rsYAiA&m=wJn72nzxAgZXCKsSJtoqpxErhJ1ajRILdeYlBMLycRY&s=dGGsOYFBB5JpkRBPXLr1U9iKIPRZRIaHeidg0BnXUTU&e=>) for more information. Occasionally, despite best efforts, mail is misdirected. Please know that VPC takes its mailing list process very seriously and works hard to ensure the most accurate list possible, which is why errors such as these are infrequent and the majority of mail recipients reached by VPC are eligible unregistered voters.
If you talk to anyone that wants to be removed from the voting list, their letter has a code near the bottom that they can email to VPC to be automatically removed (unsubscribe@voterparticipation.org<mailto:unsubscribe@voterparticipation.org>). Or you can take down the codes or names/addresses and send them to me for removal. Additionally, you can direct anyone to VPC’s toll-free number at 877-255-6750.
* * * * * * * *
VPC’s sole purpose and focus is to facilitate registration of as many Americans who are eligible to vote as possible, and then to educate them about the means and reasons for voting. With this aim in mind, VPC hopes that its mailings will assist Florida citizens in navigating the voting process and casting their votes. VPC would be pleased to work with you to provide advance information to potential voters, as well as local elections officials and their staffs who handle the incoming application forms generate by VPC mailings and who also answer questions from local residents. In the event you receive questions from recipients of the mailings, please feel free to direct them to VPC at 877-255-6750.
I would be pleased to address any questions or concerns you may have and look forward to continued work with your office.
Jen Carrier

Jennifer L. Carrier |BLANKROME

essed to a ‘six year old’.