Millions of Texas Voter Records Exposed Online (techcrunch.com) 79
A folder containing an estimated 14.8 million Texas voter records was left on an unsecured server without a password. Considering Texas has 19.3 million registered voters, this leak is very substantial. The file was discovered by a New Zealand-based data breach hunter who goes by the pseudonym Flash Gordon. TechCrunch reports: It's not clear who owned the server where the exposed file was found, but an analysis of the data reveals that it was likely originally compiled by Data Trust, a Republican-focused data analytics firm created by the GOP to provide campaigns with voter data. The file -- close to 16 gigabytes in size -- contained dozens of fields, including personal information like a voter's name, address, gender and several years' worth of voting history, including primaries and presidential elections. It's not known exactly when the data was compiled, but an analysis of the data suggests it was prepared in time for the 2016 presidential election. It's also not known if the file is a subset of the 198 million records leak last year -- or if it's a standalone data set.
RMS is right (Score:5, Insightful)
So much for the GOP running such a tight ship? (Score:1)
"an analysis of the data reveals that it was likely originally compiled by Data Trust, a Republican-focused data analytics firm created by the GOP to provide campaigns with voter data."
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Re:RMS is right (Score:4, Interesting)
...the best solution to this is not the collect the data in the first place. If you collect data it will get out.
Let me get this straight.. Are you saying that we shouldn't keep voter registration rolls or keep track of who voted in an election?
You do realize that such voter information is public record and subject to inspection by anybody who asks, right? This stuff is generally for sale if you have money to buy it.
It looks like this information was just an archive of voter rolls, crossed with voter records and other public information.
What doesn't make sense to me is... (Score:1)
If actual votes are documented and for sale to the highest bidder, how is this information not available to the general public after a blackout period, and if it is, how does this help avoiding the vote buying concern that is claimed for why our voting stubs are 'anonymous'?
Either they are anonymous to avoid retaliation or they are not and should be published for all to see post-haste.
It seems like most of the promise of privacy in America is not to actually protect the public's privacy but to offer a metho
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They have a history of if you voted not who you voted for
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The fact that this is public is an issue of and by itself. Voter data should have a limited lifetime and only be looked at after a procedure by a selected group of people.
But, the original poster said "if you collect it, it will eventually get out". I'm merely pointing out that we have to collect this information so the "just don't collect it" idea isn't possible.
I'm not so sure though, that public disclosure of this information isn't necessary as well. Records of *who* voted in what election are of vital importance and should be information which is collected and in order to provide evidence of free, open and fair elections. For that reason such records are indispensable
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Wrong, it should not have existed at all (Score:1)
This wasn't the elections office that had the data it was a private analytics firm working for a political party. How in **** did they get this data at all?
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This wasn't the elections office that had the data it was a private analytics firm working for a political party. How in **** did they get this data at all?
Simple: They paid for it. Voter registration data in the public domain and is for sale.
Re:Retribution coming... (Score:4, Funny)
Don't. Mess. With. Texas!
Seems they left it the stuff on the front porch and said "Come and Take it!"
And? (Score:2)
In many states, you can get a copy of the voter registration database pretty easily. Some even have public web links to zip files. In others they may charge you per entry.
Know what almost all of them have? "personal information like a voter's name, address, gender and several years' worth of voting history"
Why? They are invaluable to campaigns for basic things like get out the vote efforts.
Sure, they run their own data systems on top (marking known donors to friendly or unfriendly candidates), social media
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Re:And? (Score:4, Interesting)
Depends on the state.
Ex: Here in Washington state, party affiliation is not part of the list (but history is)... while it is in Ohio affiliation is, but history is not: https://www6.sos.state.oh.us/o... [state.oh.us]
The primary purpose of these databases being available in some form is for political reasons.You as a candidate or just an interested party is going to need to know who to target with your door knocking & mailings.
See someone who is only an irregular voter? Might make a good target to encourage to vote for your person/issue.
See someone who is pretty regular? Their mind may already be made up.
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Interesting that I am posting with a logged in account, while you as an AC are accusing me of plagiarism. How brave.
No, I was not aware of the post you are quoting until after I posted mine: https://yro.slashdot.org/comme... [slashdot.org]
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I think it's whether or not they voted, not who they voted for. I live in a country where voting is compulsory (or at least getting your name checked off the voter roll while you collect a Democracy Sausage is compulsory) and I assume that nearly everyone votes, so that "voting history" thing threw me too.
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Ex: Want a copy of the voter registration list from... Ohio? Pick a county: https://www6.sos.state.oh.us/o... [state.oh.us]
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My coworker is active in his party at the county level and he told me a while back that these are all public records in Texas and you can see anyone's voting history.
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Can confirm. You can request the Texas list here: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/el... [state.tx.us]
One of the fields is listed as "ELECTION DATE"
Thanks for making me find that, I've been building up a list as to where to request lists from each states and only now found the Texas form.
Christ, they want on the order of $1500 for the full list...
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No, I didn't see it until after I posted. Given they posted @05:58PM and I did @06:05PM, is it so implausible that I hadn't done a full reload and read of every comment prior to posting in that 7 minute window?
You'll also notice a full 30 minutes earlier I posted this: https://yro.slashdot.org/comme... [slashdot.org]
It's as if I have an interest in the area, and may just have done my own research, independent of the post you accused me of plagiarizing. You know, the very thing I called out in my post.
Voting History Question? (Score:5, Informative)
Is the voting history the standard stuff, not including actual candidate selection?
I have to assume so unless people are voluntarily providing this. Per the article below public information can include:
* Name
* Street address
* Party affiliation
* Elections in which you did (or did not) vote
* Phone number
* Email address
https://www.forbes.com/sites/m... [forbes.com]
I have to assume that's what is available, then aggregated with other information since the summary referred to dozens of data points.
Frightening that such data could be public to be honest.
I just read the article, pretty scary shit, people should stop participating in surveys or any sort:
"For example, the data includes fields that might score an individualâ(TM)s believed views on immigration, hunting, abortion rights, government spending and views on the Second Amendment."
How many dead people are on that list? (Score:2)
How many dead people are on that list?
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Curiously, the Texas DB seems to have a "Hispanic surname flag": https://www.sos.state.tx.us/el... [state.tx.us]
why is that information even available ? (Score:2)
contained dozens of fields, including personal information like a voter's name, address, gender and several years' worth of voting history, including primaries and presidential elections.
How is the voting history even available ?
Isn't how you voted confidential ?
Shouldn't it be ?
Re:why is that information even available ? (Score:5, Insightful)
Voting history = whether you cast a ballot. Voting history != who you voted for.
Being upset by this is like being upset that telephone books are published.
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They might not know who I voted for, but wouldn't they know which primary I voted in? They could figure from that whether I voted for the Blustering Buffoon or the Wicked Witch of the East.
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I don't know how they conduct primary elections in your state, but where I live they don't hold separate elections for the different political parties. A single election is held, where the ballot you're given is dependent upon your party affiliation. At any rate, your party affiliation (or lack of same) is a matter of public record in the first place.
Folder containing voter records (Score:2)
Public Information (Score:2)
Isn't that public information? I know that in my state, I can go to an official state government web site and purchase/download that information for $20. In some states it's free.