IMPROVED CENSUS DATA
Prime New York and Voter Contact Services have added the politically most important demographic information from 2000 Census to our entire voter file. Coding was added to individual voter records showing the following census information: Black, Asian, Hispanic, White, Married, Median Income, Children in Household, Population Density, College Graduate, Median Years in School. The match was performed at the ZIP+4 level, producing the highest possible level of accuracy. The ethnic variables will generally match the census block (block face) where the voter lives. Other variables are reported by the Census Department at the block group level and thus will be more representative of the local neighborhood. The size of block groups varies, but they generally contain 30 to 40 blocks. This data, usually in coordination with other selections, will better able campaigns to select voters based on their race, family status, education and income.

IMPROVED HOUSING DATA
We have matched New York City addresses and flagged voters as likely to be living in five types of dwelling – New York City Housing Authority projects, Co-ops or Condos, Mitchell-Lama Co-ops, rent regulated & owner occupied. This data is not 100% accurate as it based on an address match and not on a voter match. For example a resident of a co-op might be a renter rather an owner. However this data can prove to be invaluable to campaigns.

IMPROVED ETHNIC CODING
Prime New York and Voter Contact Services use two different methods to indicate the probable race or ethnic origin of voters in their national voter file. Each method is useful in some circumstances for locating people of common heritage. The methods are Probable Ethnic Origin Based on Last name and match of 2000 Census Data at the ZIP+4 level. Taken together this coding provides an extremely effective tool for identifying such groups of voters. Probable Ethnic Coding Based on Last Name — The VCS dictionary for coding probable ethnic origin of voters is the best available. It has been developed over the last 30 years through the cooperative efforts of political consultants, sociologists and specialists in ethnic origin. It contains over 288,000 last names that code voters into 35 different ethnic groups. We know examples that would produce misleading results (Bernie Williams would not listed as Hispanic, Eddie Murphy would be listed as Irish) but overall it produces very effective statistical selections. This coding is most often used for locating voters of Hispanic, Asian, Jewish, Irish or Italian origin. Other ethnic codes now on the file are listed below:
• ARMENIAN • FRENCH • JEWISH • RUMANIAN • CAMBODIAN • GEORGIAN • KOREAN • RUSSIAN • CHINESE • GERMAN • LAOTIAN • SLAVIC • CZECH • GREEK • LATVIAN • HISPANIC • DUTCH • HUNGARIAN • LITHUANIAN • SWEDISH • EAST INDIAN • IRANIAN • MID-EASTERN • THAI • ESKIMO/INDIAN • IRISH • NORWEGIAN • UKRANIAN • ESTONIAN • ITALIAN • POLISH • VIETNAMESE • FINNISH • JAPANESE • POLYNESIAN

Census Coding Based on ZIP+4 – VCS has coded almost all individual voters on its nationwide voter file with ten different census counts based on the ZIP+4 of residence of that voter. Four of these variables – Black, White, Asian and Hispanic – are related to race or ethnic origin. This information is contained in the “PL94-171” Census records, given to every household. That means that most voters will be coded in accordance with the percentage of racial breakdown in their block on their side of the street. Complete details regarding this coding can be found at www.vcsnet.com/censuscoding. This coding can be especially useful for locating black voters. Generally the last name based ethnic coding is more effective at locating voters of Hispanic or Asian origin, but the census data can sometimes be useful in augmenting those selections. Prime New York has added our own formula for selecting like Black voters in New York. We select likely Blacks first by selecting certain election districts. We first use past election returns to select EDs that vote for Black candidates (Sharpton for Senate, McCall for Governor, etc.). We then compared these to a list of E.D.s to the census data. We also check the Party breakdowns of these EDs to exclude any EDs with a large Republican enrollment from the list of Black EDs. Then to select likely Black voters, we use the VCS ethnic dictionary of last names and select Irish (Murphy, Kelly, Lynch), French (Haitians), Swedish (Johnson) and uncoded surnames (Miller, Jones).

MORE E-MAIL ADDRESSES
We have been matching the voter file for e-mail addresses for three years. The original e-mails were obtained in 2004 by matching the voter file with “opt-in” lists of email addresses and postal addresses. It was a full record match of the names and addresses. The e-mails are compiled from commercial websites—e-commerce, sweepstakes, surveys, etc. where the people checked a that is was OK to contact them about other things. The vendors we worked with were Equifax and Ominipoint and primarily provide this as a product that companies use to get e-mails addresses for their existing clients. All comply with the CAN Spam act and the DMA guidelines for e-mail appending. Prior to being put into the voter database, the people received a message that elected officials and interest groups wanted to be able to send them information about important issues. By clicking a link they could opt out. We have since re-matched the E-mail matches three more times to add new addresses and delete out of date addresses. We now have just under 1 million voters in New York State matched for e-mail addresses. Selections of voters with E-mail can be made as with other selections of voters – by age, gender, ethnic group, voter history, geography and any combination of these.

WEB NEWS
You can now read regular commentary on New York politics form Jerry Skurnik, a partner in Prime New York on the new blog – Room 8 at: http://www.r8ny.com/. And the Prime New York/Voter Contact Services web site has improved statistical reports on New York districts at: http://www.vcsnet.com/State.php4?NY.

Dear Friends,
Across New York too many campaigns have been stuck with substandard voter lists and voter file systems. They are frequently overly complex and designed for “experts” with little or no actual campaign experience. Prime New York offers a better solution.

Prime New York, a voter file company with almost 20 years of experience, is here to help you. We'll listen to your needs and design a simple, usable solution based on those needs. Now isn’t that a change you can really use?

Prime New York is the consultant other political consultants turn to. For further information and/or free stats, email or call us directly at:

Stuart Osnow
theroad@aol.com

---

Recent press:
City Hall News article, July 2008