Over 4,000 Pasco County voters will be receiving potentially misleading voter registration forms.
It's a warning that comes from the county Supervisor of Elections, Brian Corley.
Corley said the notices are from the Center for Voter Information, a non-profit Washington DC-based organization that mails pre-filled voter registration applications with often outdated and incorrect information.
Tami Bentley, who is with the Supervisor of Elections office, said the mailings target both registered voters and people ineligible to vote.
"People will receive perhaps a mailing for someone who's been deceased, someone who's underage and not able to register to vote and this is what creates the alarm," Bentley said.
She said county residents have even received mailings for their pets.
In a response to WUSF News posted on Twitter, Corley said, "while frustrating for the impact to voters," there's "nothing illegal" about the mailings.
Negative-while beyond frustrating for the impact to voters - nothing illegal. Publicly shaming them with their sadly inaccurate data & media focus on same will hopefully help!— Brian Corley SOE (@votepasco) June 16, 2018
The campaigns by CVI and its affiliate, the Voter Participation Center, have been launched in Pasco in the past.
Polk County Supervisor of Elections Lori Edwards said she received one complaint from a voter Friday.
She said her office has also received many complaints from voters in the past, some of which went to “fictional people.” But she said the number of complaints has decreased every year.
Bentley said anyone who receives a mailing and are unsure of their voter status can verify their registration online or by calling the Supervisor of Elections office at 800-851-8754.
Edwards said concerned voters in Polk County can call the Supervisor of Elections office at 863-534-5888.
Copyright 2018 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7
