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Political Do Not Call Registry blocks robo-calls from candidates

(Jacksonville Daily Progress)Jacksonville Progress

By Cristin Ross

cross@jacksonvilleprogress.com

The 2008 election is heating up locally, statewide and nationwide, and there is a way to at least keep candidates from ringing your phone off the hook every night, thanks to the Political Do Not Call Registry.

“As we head into the general election, robo-calls have already started flying, and we are doing something about them with the nation’s only political Do Not Call Registry,” Shaun Dakin, CEO and founder of the National Political Do Not Contact Registry.

The NPDNC Registry is a non-profit, nonpartisan group dedicated to giving American voters the right to opt out of unwanted political contact, particularly robo-calls.

“Over 30 million residents may now see relief from the invasion of robo-calls this fall due to the work of the NPDNC,” Dakin said. “Our work with the California Public Utilities Commission to enforce the existing robo-call code has put both politicians and groups making robo-calls on notice. Specifically we shut down Kucinich robo-calls into California that were fundraising for the impeachment of Bush.

“We have also worked with candidates to take a ‘do not robo-call’ pledge. To date six politicians have taken the pledge,” Dakin said.

The registry was launched October 2007 and has more than 60,000 members nationwide.