As election seasons heat up, so do the endless political texts flooding your phone. While political campaigns are legally allowed to send texts to voters, the constant stream can be overwhelming and intrusive. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce or eliminate these messages without missing important election updates.
1. Opt-out Options
Most political texts include an opt-out feature. Typically, replying with “STOP” or “UNSUBSCRIBE” will remove you from their list. This should prevent future texts from that particular campaign. However, be aware that each campaign or PAC (political action committee) operates independently, so you may need to repeat this process for multiple senders.
2. Register with the National Do Not Call Registry
While this registry is primarily for telemarketing calls, it does extend some protection to texts. You can register your number at donotcall.gov. However, political messages are exempt from this list since they are not classified as commercial activity, so it may only have a limited effect.
3. Use Third-Party Apps
There are apps like RoboKiller, Nomorobo, or Truecaller that help block spam and unwanted texts. These apps can filter out unknown numbers or numbers identified as political campaigns, providing a buffer against annoying messages.
4. Silence Unknown Numbers
Most smartphones allow you to silence or block unknown senders. On iPhones, for example, you can enable “Silence Unknown Callers” in settings, which mutes texts and calls from unknown numbers.
While political texts may feel intrusive, campaigns use them because they’re effective in reaching voters. Until regulations change, the best strategy is to proactively manage and minimize these messages with available tools.