A robocall, allegedly featuring an AI-generated imitation of United States President Joe Biden, urged New Hampshire voters to refrain from participating in the upcoming presidential primary on Tuesday (Jan 23) and instead reserve their votes for the general elections slated for November.
The call’s audio underwent scrutiny from a Western media outlet utilizing the anti-robocall tool Nomorobo. Tracking data revealed a substantial volume of similar calls targeting various individuals.
In the altered voice resembling Biden, the message conveyed disdain towards Republican efforts to sway nonpartisan and Democratic voters towards their primary, emphasizing the strategic importance of saving Democratic votes for the November elections. The fabricated voice asserted the necessity of electing Democrats across all levels, cautioning against participating in the imminent primary as it could inadvertently bolster Republican endeavors to secure another term for Donald Trump.
Aaron Jacobs, a spokesperson for Write-In Biden, condemned the dissemination of deep fake disinformation aimed at undermining Joe Biden, suppressing voter turnout, and destabilizing the democratic process. Jacobs affirmed that the matter had been escalated to law enforcement for investigation and accountability, reiterating the group’s singular focus on encouraging Granite Staters to inscribe Joe Biden’s name on the ballot.
Meanwhile, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden’s campaign manager, denounced the deceptive tactics employed to spread disinformation and deter voter participation. She disclosed that the campaign had alerted the New Hampshire Attorney General and was actively exploring further measures to combat such malicious actions, emphasizing the campaign’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.
The New Hampshire State Justice Department weighed in on the issue, highlighting that while the voice in the robocall resembled President Biden’s, the message was likely artificially generated and spoofed to misattribute its origin. The department advised voters to disregard the misleading communication, clarifying that participation in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election does not preclude voting in the November General Election. An investigation by the Election Law unit is underway to address the situation.
Biden’s Absence from New Hampshire Democratic Primary Ballot
In a departure from the norm, Joe Biden’s name will not feature on the New Hampshire Democratic primary ballot in the current electoral cycle. Following the president’s request, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) endorsed a revised early primary state schedule, displacing New Hampshire from its traditional position as the inaugural presidential primary battleground and granting that distinction to South Carolina.
South Carolina marked Biden’s inaugural primary victory across his three presidential campaigns.
Responding to President Biden’s decision to forgo the New Hampshire primary, over 100 Democratic leaders in New Hampshire initiated a campaign to rally state Democrats behind the write-in candidacy of Biden on primary day, a practice with historical precedence and permissible under the electoral rules.
