New Hampshire Robocall Voter Intimidation Challenge

Lawsuit filed by the League of Women Voters of New Hampshire, League of Women Voters of the United States and three registered voters against Lingo Telecom LLC, Life Corporation and political consultant Steve Kramer challenging the use of robocalls and AI-generated voices to suppress Democratic voter participation in the 2024 New Hampshire presidential primary. The plaintiffs allege that the defendants sent thousands of robocalls to individuals that were suspected to be Democratic voters two days before the state’s primary elections. The calls featured an AI voice simulating President Joe Biden, and some additionally mimicked a phone number associated with a prominent Democratic leader known to support President Biden, all urging recipients not to vote during the primary in order to “save their vote” for the general election in November. The calls also falsely implied that voting in the primary would “only enable the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again.” The plaintiffs argue that these calls were used to intimidate and coerce Democratic voters in an attempt to suppress Democratic turnout in the primary in violation of Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act which prohibits the use of any form of intimidation used to dissuade individuals from voting. The plaintiffs also claim that these calls violate the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and New Hampshire elections laws and ask the court to issue a permanent, nationwide injunction prohibiting the defendants from producing or distributing robocalls using AI-generated voice impersonations meant to coerce voters. 

STATUS: League of Women Voters of New Hampshire, League of Women Voters of the United States and three registered voters filed this complaint on March 14, 2024. Lingo Telecom LLC, Life Corporation and political consultant Steve Kramer have not responded yet. A motion is in progress before the district court.

Last updated: April 29, 2024 10:02 am EST