Called 6:00 on a sunday night. Left message on the machine because they thought someone had picked up. Couldn't understand some of the message but they said something like "Hello this is so and so calling from so and so associates and I would like to speak to a registered voter...... Anyone on the line?"
And they hung up.
Anybody cold-calls my number, I consider them rude to start with. I pay my phone bill for MY convenience, not for somebody to be able to call me away from my dinner, the bathroom, or a nap. I can put a sign on my door that says 'No Soliciting' and it is respected. I feel badly anybody has to work at such a lousy job, but the pay must be enough to overcome their moral fortitude. Many of those calling me are running scams, as well. (Like the putz who cold calls using a robo-caller, greets me too familiarly by my first name, then identifies himself by "[name] from the Milwaukee Police Association, you know, the nice folks who don't pull you over." Caller ID shows "Milwaukee, WI", which likely leads some easy marks to believe they really are calling from official City of Milwaukee numbers.) I don't have the time to be polite to these people, and nobody is going to 'guilt' me into thinking they're just feeding their children. I'm quite certain that guy makes a helluva lot more than I do.
Polls are exempt from the Do Not Call list law. So are politicians and charities.
Yes, there are lots of people who have decided to ignore the Do Not Call list law. The FTC doesn't have enough staff to go after all of them. So they only go after the ones who make the most calls.
When ever you get a call from a pest report it to the FTC. The link is on the Do Not Call website.