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Robocall mishap shows Nevadans don't want ANY questions at 1 a.m.
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Oct. 26, 2010 | 7:38 a.m.
Phone calls that come in the dead of night rarely bring a happy message, even if the voice on the other end of the line belongs to retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
Thanks to human and computer errors, thousands of Nevadans were roused from sleep Monday when an automated telephone message asking voters to consider Question 1 next week went out at 1 a.m. rather than 1 p.m.
"This was inexcusable," said Greg Ferraro, principal of The Ferraro Group public relations firm and a member of Nevadans for Qualified Judges, a group hoping to change how district and Supreme Court judges are selected in the Silver State.
"This was a snafu of the highest order," he said.
Already fighting against the odds in its mission if polling results are any indication, the group hopes citizens are understanding, Ferraro said.
"Here we are seven and a half days to get in front of voters and tell them how important an issue this is, and this happens," he said.
The robocall company, Rancho Mirage, Calif.-based Stones' Phones, was fired after the mishap, which Ferraro characterized as both a "human and computer error."
"They are a reputable firm," he said, "but thousands of calls went out early (Monday) morning, and that is simply inexcusable. It's stunning to me."
And though the company was fired over the mix-up, thousands more automated calls went out later Monday -- during the day -- apologizing for the late night interruption.
Several people called the Las Vegas Review-Journal to complain, including an unidentified woman who said her son was in intensive care at a local hospital. She thought the hospital was calling to tell her that her son had died.
Ferraro said he understands the anger generated by the calls.
"I'd be pretty darn upset myself," he said. "Hopefully, voters will look at the issue objectively."
Pam duPre, public information officer for Secretary of State Ross Miller, said that her office had received several phone calls and that at least one co-worker was jarred awake by the robocall.
In response to those who said they are on the federal Do Not Call Registry, duPre said compliance with the registry is voluntary for election groups and candidates.
"There's no requirement they honor it," she said.
The registry addresses telephone solicitations, not campaigns.
Philip Mlynek of Las Vegas was upset enough to write a letter to the editor. Awakened at 1 a.m. by the robocall, he was steamed three hours later when he wrote: "You sure make up our household's mind on how to vote on this question."
Ferraro hopes the phone call didn't put a dagger in Question 1, which would move to a merit selection of judges with voters participating in retention elections a year or two after a judge is nominated by a commission and appointed by the governor.
"I'm hoping to mitigate the damage," Ferraro said. "I'm doing the best I can to let Nevadans know it was a mistake. This is stunning to me. I've been in this business for 25 years, and this is the first time (this has happened)."
Contact reporter Doug McMurdo at dmcmurdo@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5512 or read more courts coverage at lvlegalnews.com.
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"The registry addresses telephone solicitations, not campaigns"
ISNT A CAMPAIGN CALL A SOLICITATION FOR A VOTE??
I really hate politicians...They have exempted themselves from the sign law too...all the stupid election signs all over town are as bad or worse than grafitti!!
TV - MUTE button!
Phone - Caller ID with ringer control!
Mail - First Stop? Outdoor GARBAGE Bin (not worth recycling!)
Oh for crying out loud!!! Have we just become a nation of cry babies? We have an out of control Federal Government, Judges legislating from the bench, an economy in free fall and people want to base their vote on an error that sent a phone call out at the wrong time? Think with your HEAD, people, and not with your emotions when voting. No wonder we're in a mess.
@TimeRanger.. Same comment submitted at the same time.. LOL!
It figures that when the politicians created the "do not call" list, they exempted themselves from its restrictions..
Personally, I think it is BS that political calls are exempt from the Do Not Call regulations. But, what do you expect? The legislation was created by politicians
Accidents happen. Get over it!
LOL, that is kind of funny. but then again, I wasn't called in the middle of the night. I might not have thought it was funny if they had called me though
"we pick our own judges" Yeah -- well, that's the problem. We have picked really, very, very bad judges in the past and then can't get rid of them short of having them removed for cause, disbarred or waiting for four or six years.
The screening process for judges is much better. I practice in Utah and California (where they screen) and Nevada (where we pick our own judges). Hands down, the screening process works to select good judges. Panels consist of persons on the left and right of the political persuasion who are concerned with following the law and making good outcomes.
Please, people, vote to screen and select! You will thank me if and when you get to appear before a judge.
There is no such thing as a reputable firm that calls people and broadcasts recorded messages. They are all scum and the home phone numbers of everyone that works for them should be published somewhere so we can call them at all hours.
Campaigns, like Harry Reid's, who use these types of polys to fish for votes should also be outed and shown for what they are -- completely uncaring about the people the claim to want to represent.