Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

What is the publically available source to view voting history ? I thought that was protected information.



http://elections.sos.ga.gov/Elections/voterabsenteefile.do

That file will tell me when you voted, if it is a primary which party ballot you pulled, and if you voted in person, absentee, or early in person.


52 U.S.C. § 21083 has some relevant text (excerpts below). § 10101 (NVReg Act) does not. By my read, neither bars public access to this data. 5 U.S. Code § 552 (FOIA) probably supersedes.

> (1) ... (v)

> Any election official in the State, including any local election official, may obtain immediate electronic access to the information contained in the computerized list.

> (3) Technological security of computerized list

> The appropriate State or local official shall provide adequate technological security measures to prevent the unauthorized access to the computerized list established under this section


How one votes is secret. Whether one votes is typically compiled by the government and made available to political parties and often the general public.


Note that this is used by campaigns prior to the election to be able to target voters that have not yet voted. Here in Washington state, you receive your mail-in ballot 3-4 weeks before Election Day. I usually return mine as soon as I get it. Campaigns can query this data repeatedly up to Election Day. Knowing that I have already sent in my ballot spares me from needless phone and mailed campaign literature and saves campaigns the cost of sending out useless material.


enzanki_ars and BoiledCabbage cite the publicly accessible preference/views data categories which included the party you vote for


Sorry to be pedantic, but precision matters here. You can't find out who someone voted for, only what party they are registered as.


No need to apologize, that is a crucial detail.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: