On Aug. 7, certain Chicagoans began receiving text messages.
They didn’t know who sent the cryptic messages, and the number was an unfamiliar one: 97200.
“Free Msg. If you want change, then you MUST vote for it! Do you plan on voting in the 2019 Chicago Mayoral Race? Please reply Y/N,” the mystery texter wrote.
The text messages — sent by a firm that mayoral candidate Paul Vallas confirmed to The Daily Line he had hired to do voter outreach — walk a fine line between polling and advertising, campaign observers said.
From top left, a site created by mayoral candidate Paul Vallas to advertise his commitment to gay rights. The other sites were sent to Chicagoans after they responded to a mystery texter. [The Daily Line]