How Did They Get My Number?

The Curious Case of Campaign Texts

It’s local government election season again, and if your phone has been pinging with campaign exhortations from local government candidates, you’re not alone.

Across Fremantle voters have begun receiving unsolicited SMS messages from at least one Mayoral candidate urging them to vote for them. The question on many lips is: How did they get my number?

The Short Answer: Not from the Electoral Roll

We can clear up one myth. Neither the AEC – the Australian Electoral Commission – nor the WAEC – the WA Electoral Commission – provides mobile phone numbers to candidates or political parties. The roll includes names and addresses, but not mobile numbers.

So where do these numbers come from?

The Long Answer: A Murky Mix of Methods

• Random Number Generation

Some campaigns use software to generate mobile numbers at random. It’s a scattergun approach – many messages land on inactive or wrong numbers – but it’s legal.

• Commercial Data Harvesting

Your number might have been collected when you signed up for a newsletter, entered a competition, or made an online purchase. These details can end up in marketing databases, which are then sold or rented to third parties – including political campaigns.

• Third-Party Marketing Lists

Data brokers compile lists from various sources. Campaigns can buy access to these lists, which often include mobile numbers, postcodes, and even inferred political leanings.

Why It’s Legal (For Now)

Political messages are exempt from Australia’s Spam Act and Privacy Act. Because they’re not considered “commercial,” they don’t require consent or an opt-out option. Even the Do Not Call Register offers no protection against political texts.

What Can You Do?

In the case of the Freo Mayoral candidate’s SMS message, at least, you are given the option to Opt Out by responding N to the message. You are also invited to respond Y to speak with the candidate.

Otherwise there’s not much you can do. You can block the sender or report particularly aggressive messages to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). But there’s no guaranteed way to opt out if it’s not offered.

A Call for Transparency

As Fremantle voters, we value transparency and fair play. If candidates want our vote, perhaps they should start by telling us how they got our number.