Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy for VoteTXK.org

Effective Date: June 9, 2026
Last Updated: June 9, 2026

VoteTXK.org (“VoteTXK,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a civic engagement platform designed to help Texarkana-area residents stay informed, participate in local discussions, subscribe to community updates, and engage with local leadership and public issues.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect information when you visit VoteTXK.org, subscribe to our newsletter, submit comments or forms, participate in surveys, interact with our social media pages, or otherwise use our services.

This policy is designed to be transparent about what we collect and how we use it. The FTC advises businesses to be clear about privacy practices and to honor the promises made in privacy policies.  

This Privacy Policy is not legal advice. VoteTXK should have this reviewed by a qualified attorney before publishing.

1. Who We Are

VoteTXK.org is a civic information and community engagement project serving residents of the Texarkana region, including Texarkana, Texas; Texarkana, Arkansas; and surrounding communities.

Our purpose is to encourage informed local participation, promote public discussion, share civic news and updates, and make it easier for residents to connect with local issues, meetings, elections, public notices, and leadership.

Contact Information:
VoteTXK.org
Email: [privacy@votetxk.org]
Mailing Address: [Insert Mailing Address]

2. Information We Collect

We may collect information directly from you, automatically through your use of the website, and from third-party services or public sources.

A. Information You Provide Directly

We may collect the following information when you voluntarily provide it:

• Name

• Email address

• Phone number, if submitted

• City, ZIP code, neighborhood, or general location

• Newsletter preferences

• Survey responses

• Public comments or discussion submissions

• Event RSVPs

• Questions submitted to local leaders or public officials

• Issue interests, such as roads, schools, policing, taxes, zoning, local elections, business development, public safety, or city services

• Social media handles, if you provide them

• Any other information you choose to submit through forms, comments, emails, or community participation features

B. Newsletter and Communications Data

If you subscribe to our newsletter or updates, we may collect:

• Email address

• Subscription date

• Email open rates

• Link clicks

• Delivery status

• Unsubscribe status

• Topic preferences

• Engagement history with VoteTXK emails

We use this information to send relevant updates and improve the usefulness of our communications.

C. Community Engagement Data

VoteTXK may allow users to submit comments, questions, opinions, feedback, survey responses, issue reports, or discussion prompts.

Depending on the feature, this may include:

• The content you submit

• Your display name or submitted name

• Your general location, if provided

• Time and date of submission

• Moderation status

• Topic category

• Related public issue or meeting agenda item

Some submissions may be displayed publicly if the feature is intended for public discussion. We will make reasonable efforts to indicate when a submission may become public.

D. Technical and Usage Information

When you visit VoteTXK.org, we may automatically collect:

• IP address

• Browser type

• Device type

• Operating system

• Pages viewed

• Referring website

• Date and time of visit

• Approximate location derived from IP address

• Click behavior

• Search terms used on the site

• Form interaction data

• Error logs

• Cookie identifiers or similar tracking technologies

This helps us understand how people use the site, improve performance, prevent abuse, and measure civic engagement.

E. Social Media and Third-Party Platform Data

If you interact with VoteTXK on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, or other social channels, we may view or collect information made available through those platforms, such as:

• Public profile name

• Public comments

• Messages you send to us

• Reactions, shares, or follows

• Publicly available engagement activity

Your use of those platforms is also governed by their own privacy policies.

F. Publicly Available Information

VoteTXK may collect, reference, summarize, or link to publicly available civic information, including:

• Public meeting agendas

• Public notices

• Local government records

• Public election information

• Candidate or officeholder information

• Public comments made in official proceedings

• Published news articles

• Public social media posts

• Public agency announcements

• Publicly available video, audio, or meeting transcripts

We may use this information to create summaries, civic explainers, newsletters, social posts, searchable resources, or community discussion prompts.

3. Sensitive Information

VoteTXK is a civic engagement platform, so some interactions may reveal sensitive views or interests, including political opinions, policy preferences, voting-related interests, or community concerns.

We do not require users to disclose sensitive information to use the site.

We do not intentionally collect:

• Social Security numbers

• Driver’s license numbers

• Financial account numbers

• Government ID documents

• Precise GPS location

• Health information

• Biometric information

• Children’s personal information

• Voter registration numbers, unless voluntarily provided in a context where we have specifically requested it

Please do not submit sensitive personal information through open comment forms, public discussion areas, or general contact forms.

4. Voter and Election-Related Information

VoteTXK may publish or link to nonpartisan civic and election-related information, such as:

• Election dates

• Public office information

• Candidate forums

• Ballot measure summaries

• Public meeting schedules

• Voter registration resources

• Polling place resources

• Publicly available election notices

VoteTXK is not an official election authority unless expressly stated. Users should verify voter registration, polling locations, deadlines, and ballot information through official election offices.

If VoteTXK provides links to voter resources, those links are offered for informational purposes only.

We do not sell voter-related information.

We do not use personal information to suppress, discourage, or interfere with voting.

5. How We Use Information

We may use the information we collect to:

• Operate and maintain VoteTXK.org

• Send newsletters, alerts, and civic updates

• Respond to questions, comments, or requests

• Publish or moderate community discussions

• Create local issue summaries and civic explainers

• Improve website content and user experience

• Understand what local topics residents care about

• Organize survey responses and public feedback

• Promote civic participation and awareness

• Prevent spam, abuse, harassment, or misuse

• Protect website security

• Comply with legal obligations

• Enforce our terms, moderation rules, and community guidelines

• Analyze aggregate engagement trends

• Share relevant public information with the community

We may use aggregated or de-identified information to understand community interests, such as which issues receive the most attention. Aggregated or de-identified information does not reasonably identify a specific person.

6. Public Submissions and Community Content

VoteTXK may provide features that allow residents to submit comments, questions, opinions, tips, event information, or other community content.

By submitting content to public or community-facing areas of VoteTXK, you understand that the content may be:

• Reviewed by VoteTXK moderators

• Edited for clarity, length, formatting, or safety

• Published on VoteTXK.org

• Included in newsletters or social media posts

• Shared with local officials, candidates, agencies, or community organizations

• Quoted, summarized, or categorized in civic content

We may remove, decline, or edit submissions that include:

• Personal attacks

• Harassment

• Threats

• Hate speech

• Spam

• Defamation

• Private personal information

• Misinformation likely to cause public harm

• Doxxing

• Profanity or graphic content

• Unverified allegations against private individuals

• Content unrelated to the civic purpose of the platform

Do not submit anything you do not want potentially made public.

7. How We Share Information

We do not sell personal information.

We may share information in the following limited circumstances:

A. Service Providers

We may share information with vendors that help us operate VoteTXK, including:

• Website hosting providers

• Email newsletter platforms

• Analytics providers

• Form tools

• Database providers

• Security tools

• Customer support tools

• Automation platforms

• Social media management tools

• Survey tools

These providers may process information only as needed to provide services to us.

B. Public Display

If you submit content intended for public discussion, we may display that content publicly along with the name, display name, initials, neighborhood, or other information you chose to provide.

C. Local Officials, Agencies, or Community Organizations

If you submit a question, concern, survey response, or issue report intended to be shared with local leadership or public agencies, we may share that information as part of our civic engagement purpose.

Where appropriate, we may remove or summarize identifying information before sharing.

D. Legal Compliance and Safety

We may disclose information if we believe it is necessary to:

• Comply with applicable law

• Respond to a subpoena, court order, or legal process

• Protect our rights, users, or the public

• Investigate fraud, abuse, security incidents, or threats

• Enforce our policies

• Prevent harm

E. Business or Organizational Changes

If VoteTXK is involved in a merger, transfer, restructuring, partnership, fiscal sponsorship arrangement, or similar organizational change, information may be transferred as part of that process, subject to this Privacy Policy.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

VoteTXK may use cookies, pixels, tags, and similar technologies to:

• Keep the website functioning

• Remember user preferences

• Measure website traffic

• Understand newsletter signups

• Analyze content performance

• Prevent spam and security abuse

• Improve civic engagement campaigns

You can usually control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some website features.

We may use third-party analytics tools such as:

• Google Analytics

• Plausible Analytics

• Meta Pixel

• Google Tag Manager

• Mailchimp, ConvertKit, Substack, Beehiiv, or similar newsletter tools

• Other analytics or engagement tools

Current vendors: [Insert final vendor list before publishing.]

9. Email Communications

If you subscribe to VoteTXK emails, we may send you:

• Newsletters

• Civic updates

• Meeting reminders

• Election-related reminders

• Survey invitations

• Community discussion prompts

• Event announcements

• Platform updates

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in an email or contacting us at [privacy@votetxk.org].

Even if you unsubscribe from marketing or newsletter emails, we may still send administrative or transactional messages if needed, such as account notices, security alerts, or responses to your inquiries.

10. Text Messages

If VoteTXK offers SMS or text updates and you opt in, we may collect your phone number and send text messages related to civic updates, events, reminders, or alerts.

Message and data rates may apply.

You may opt out of text messages by replying STOP or following the instructions provided in the message.

SMS provider: [Insert provider, if applicable.]

11. Data Retention

We keep personal information only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

General retention practices may include:

• Newsletter subscriber data: retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion

• Contact form submissions: retained as long as needed to respond or maintain records

• Public comments: retained as long as the related content remains published

• Survey responses: retained for research, civic reporting, or community trend analysis

• Analytics data: retained according to analytics platform settings

• Security logs: retained as needed to prevent abuse and protect the platform

• Legal records: retained as required by law

We may retain de-identified or aggregated information indefinitely.

12. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards to protect personal information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

These safeguards may include:

• HTTPS encryption

• Access controls

• Secure hosting

• Limited administrative access

• Spam and abuse prevention

• Vendor review

• Account authentication

• Data minimization

• Regular system updates

No website, email system, database, or internet transmission is completely secure. You use VoteTXK at your own risk.

The FTC recommends that organizations collect only what they need, keep it safe, and dispose of it securely.  

13. Children’s Privacy

VoteTXK is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. The FTC notes that the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act gives parents control over what information covered websites may collect from children.  

If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without appropriate consent, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

If you believe a child has submitted personal information to VoteTXK, contact us at [privacy@votetxk.org].

14. Your Privacy Choices

Depending on where you live and how you interact with VoteTXK, you may have the right to:

• Request access to personal information we maintain about you

• Request correction of inaccurate information

• Request deletion of personal information

• Opt out of newsletters or marketing communications

• Limit certain uses of information

• Request that we stop sharing certain information

• Ask questions about how your information is used

To make a request, contact us at:

[privacy@votetxk.org]

We may need to verify your identity before completing certain requests.

15. U.S. State Privacy Rights

Some U.S. state privacy laws provide residents with specific rights. For example, California’s privacy framework includes rights to know, delete, correct, opt out of sale or sharing, limit certain sensitive information uses, and avoid discrimination for exercising privacy rights.  

VoteTXK may not be legally subject to every state privacy law, depending on its legal structure, nonprofit/for-profit status, revenue, number of users, data practices, and other thresholds. For example, the California Attorney General explains that the CCPA generally applies to for-profit businesses doing business in California that meet certain revenue, data-volume, or data-sale thresholds, and generally does not apply to nonprofits or government agencies.  

Even where a specific privacy law does not apply, VoteTXK may choose to honor reasonable privacy requests when practical.

16. Texas and Arkansas Residents

VoteTXK serves a cross-border community that includes residents of Texas and Arkansas.

If you are a Texas or Arkansas resident and want to access, correct, delete, or ask questions about your personal information, contact us at:

[privacy@votetxk.org]

We will review your request and respond as reasonably required by applicable law.

17. Political, Civic, and Public Interest Data

Because VoteTXK focuses on local civic engagement, some information you provide may relate to public issues, political concerns, policy preferences, public officials, elections, or government activity.

We use this information only to support VoteTXK’s civic engagement mission, including:

• Understanding community priorities

• Creating civic content

• Organizing public feedback

• Encouraging informed discussion

• Helping residents engage with local leadership

• Improving the relevance of newsletters and public updates

We do not sell political or civic preference data.

We do not use personal civic engagement data to discriminate against users.

We do not knowingly provide individualized political preference profiles to campaigns, parties, or candidates without your consent.

18. Third-Party Links

VoteTXK may link to third-party websites, including:

• Local government websites

• Election offices

• News publications

• Public meeting portals

• Social media platforms

• Community organizations

• Candidate or official websites

• Public records or document repositories

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security, accuracy, or content of third-party websites.

Review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.

19. Embedded Content

VoteTXK may embed content from third-party platforms, such as:

• YouTube videos

• Facebook posts

• Instagram posts

• X posts

• Google Maps

• Public meeting videos

• Podcast players

• Document viewers

Embedded content may behave as if you visited the third-party site directly. These third parties may collect information about your interaction with the embedded content.

20. Surveys, Polls, and Community Research

VoteTXK may conduct surveys or polls to understand community priorities.

Survey responses may be used to:

• Create public summaries

• Inform newsletters

• Identify local issue trends

• Develop civic discussion topics

• Share aggregated findings with community stakeholders

Unless clearly stated otherwise, survey results will generally be reported in aggregated or summarized form.

If a survey asks for personal information, we will use it for the stated purpose of that survey.

21. AI-Assisted Content and Analysis

VoteTXK may use software tools, including artificial intelligence tools, to help summarize public information, analyze civic trends, draft newsletters, categorize topics, or prepare community content.

When using AI-assisted tools, we may process:

• Public meeting transcripts

• Public comments

• Publicly available articles

• Submitted survey responses

• User-submitted questions or feedback

• Website engagement trends

We aim to avoid sending unnecessary personal information into AI tools. Where practical, we may remove or reduce identifying information before analysis.

AI-generated summaries may contain errors, and VoteTXK may review, edit, or fact-check content before publication.

22. Data Accuracy

VoteTXK works to provide useful and accurate civic information, but information may change quickly. Meeting dates, election deadlines, public notices, officeholder information, and government records should be verified with official sources.

You may contact us to request correction of personal information or to flag inaccurate civic content.

23. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Controls

Some browsers offer “Do Not Track” or similar privacy signals. Because there is no uniform industry standard for responding to all such signals, VoteTXK may not respond to every browser-based signal.

Where legally required and technically feasible, we may honor recognized opt-out preference signals, such as Global Privacy Control, for applicable data uses.

24. International Users

VoteTXK is intended primarily for users in the United States, especially the Texarkana region.

If you access VoteTXK from outside the United States, you understand that your information may be processed in the United States, where privacy laws may differ from those in your country.

25. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date above. If changes are material, we may provide additional notice, such as a website notice or email notification.

Your continued use of VoteTXK after an updated Privacy Policy is posted means you accept the updated policy.

26. Contact Us

For privacy questions, requests, or concerns, contact:

VoteTXK.org
Email: [privacy@votetxk.org]
Mailing Address: [Insert Mailing Address]

VoteTXK.org respects your privacy. We collect limited information to operate the site, send civic updates, improve community engagement, and protect the platform. We do not sell personal information. Read our full Privacy Policy for details.