Collier voters share mixed views on campaign ads

With just days left before the election, campaigns are trying to reach voters every way possible. Many voters are getting spam texts from candidates. Voters said they are receiving messages through text, phone calls, emails and social media.

Voters in Collier County have mixed views on campaign advertisements leading up to the 2018 midterm election.

“I get sick of it after a while don’t you?” said Ali Gallahue, who voted early.

Gallahue and other early voters in Collier County said they’re sick of all the messages from different campaign teams for the midterm election.

“Every minute they’re putting it out there, trying to get you to go their way; you know?” said Joseph Bianco, who voted early.

“It gets to be too much,” Gallahu said. “I’m more annoyed with all the ads that are on TV, and I just hear the same negative advertisement all the time. I get very tired of it.”

Others said the phone calls, emails, social media ads and text messages are just what they are looking for.

“That is their right to do it,” said Louis Parker, who voted early. “They have an obligation to let people know what their position is.”

Groups are using technology to reach out to voters on every platform possible, and that includes your home.

Jennifer Edwards, supervisor of elections for Collier County, said, if you don’t want to be a part of this information pool, you can take certain information off of your ballot registration.

“If when the voter registers to vote, they provided their phone number and email address, then that information is provided to the campaigns and to the candidates,” Edwards said.

Regardless of the ads, Parker said, it’s every American’s right to get out and vote.

“It’s your obligation as a citizen to go out and exercise something very precious,” Parker said. “A lot of people don’t have this, and if you don’t exercise it, you’re really losing out.”