While some candidates have been granted access to community phone numbers, others have been left in the dark. But how do these candidates feel about the potential misuse of private information for political gain? We reached out to several independent and opposing candidates to get their thoughts.

Independent candidates expressed frustration over the lack of access to similar resources, citing concerns over the fairness of the election. "If one party can target voters directly while others can't, it creates an imbalance," said one candidate, who wished to remain anonymous. "It calls into question the integrity of the process."

Another candidate running on a community-focused platform said, "I have never been comfortable using personal information without consent. Elections should be about honest engagement, not manipulating people's trust by exploiting their private details."

Many candidates are now pushing for an investigation into how the data was acquired and used. Some have called for clearer guidelines around data usage in local elections, while others believe the community should have the right to opt out of political communications altogether. Residents are also reacting, with some expressing concern that their phone numbers were used for political messaging without their explicit consent.

As we head closer to election day, these are the issues that demand attention. It’s essential for all candidates to have their say and for the community to understand the broader implications of data privacy and political outreach in local campaigns.