Most voters’ phones rang in campaigns

WASHINGTON – Almost two-thirds of voters received unsolicited telephone calls during the final weeks of November’s midterm campaign, with Republican phones ringing the most.

Among all voters, 64 percent of voters said they received prerecorded telephone calls – or so-called “robocalls.” One in four voters said they received a phone call from a live person during the final two months of the campaign and 71 percent of voters reported receiving campaign mail, according to the survey released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Pew Internet and American Life Project.

“The advantage of robocalls is that someone has picked up the phone. With direct mail, you can’t be sure it doesn’t wind up in the wastebasket,” said Pew Director Lee Rainie. “It will be interesting to see if robocalls take over direct mail.”