Social networks have revolutionized political communication, for better or worse. Fake news and misinformation spread at full speed on the Internet and interfered with several electoral processes. As technology advances and artificial intelligence's ability to create false images and imitate people with the appearance of reality, the danger multiplies. The threats have intensified in New Hampshire, where primaries for the presidency of the United States are taking place this Tuesday. Prosecutors are investigating complaints about calls impersonating US President Joe Biden in an attempt to interfere in the election.
The attorney general's office said Monday that it had received complaints about a recorded message urging voters not to vote. The message, sent on January 21, 2024, said: “Your voice will make a difference in November, not this Tuesday.” Although the voice in the robocall sounds like President Biden's, initial indications appear that this message appears artificial according to the public prosecutor's office.
According to the same source, the message appears to have been manipulated to falsely show that it was sent by the treasurer of a political committee supporting efforts to hand-vote for Biden in the Democratic presidential primary in New Hampshire. Biden does not appear on the official ballot because the Democratic Party did not agree with the primary calendar and therefore he did not register on time. Still, voters can handwrite their name in a blank space on the ballot, and Biden supporters are mobilizing to convey that message to citizens.
Biden's failure to appear on the ballot is fertile ground for these calls from unknown origins that discourage people from voting. “These messages appear to be an illegal attempt to disrupt New Hampshire’s presidential election and voter suppression,” prosecutors said in a statement. “New Hampshire voters should completely ignore the contents of this message. “Voting in the New Hampshire presidential primary does not prevent a voter from also voting in the November general election,” he added.
The prosecutor's office announced that the unit responsible for electoral matters had opened an investigation. In addition, recipients of this message are encouraged to send an email to the Election Law Division of the Department of Justice ([email protected]), indicating the date and time the call or message was received, its origin, its content and any other relevant information to be provided.
Although Biden is not on the ballot, all polls show him as the sure winner. The unknown is what weight the fact that voters must handwrite their names might carry. Second in the polls is Congressman Dean Phillips, but by a wide margin. A close result would be a blow to the president.
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In New Hampshire, the Democratic and Republican primaries are taking place at the same time. The Republicans, who have become a duel between Donald Trump and Nikki Haley with the withdrawal of Ron DeSantis, are the most interested because they can almost derail Trump's nomination. Biden has no major rival in the Democratic primaries. In addition, the Democratic Party generally does not send delegates to the winners of this Tuesday's elections due to the disagreement over the calendar mentioned above.
In New Hampshire primaries, voters who are registered as Republicans can vote in their party's primary and Democrats in their primary, but independents who are not registered in either party can vote in either party.
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