What would you do if you received a text message from Mike Baird on the Friday evening before a state election?

Voters across NSW received a text from the NSW Premier between 6 and 9 pm saying, "Hello Mike Baird here. My personal commitment to you and to NSW is to never stop working for you, your family and community. Yours, Mike Baird".

Some people were upset they could not text the NSW Premier back with their well wishes for Saturday's NSW elections, or other pressing state concerns, as it was generated by an automated texting service. 

Ironically, I too received a text from Mike Baird. He can't return my calls, but he's happy to send me texts. Go figure. #auspol #nswvotes — Commander Abbott PM (@CommanderAbbott) March 27, 2015

Others were annoyed their end-of-week footy-watching, beer-guzzling relaxation was disturbed while some wondered if Mr Baird had contravened election advertising rules.

Taxpayers money being wasted on text messages from Mike Baird -bloody desperate #auspol pic.twitter.com/HLlSQlyqoy — HRH Terry Australis (@AustralisTerry) March 27, 2015

Under the media watchdog's election campaigning guidelines,  electronic advertising (that is, radio and television) is subject to a 'blackout' from the Wednesday before polling day to give voters a 'cooling off' period.

However the outdated rule, set out in the Broadcasting Services Act of 1992, does not take social media into account, or phone texting for that matter.

"It was a last pitch to voters by the Liberal Party," a Liberal Party spokesperson said.

The NSW government's advertising handbook also said broadly that "an advertising campaign's method or medium of advertising should not be excessive or extravagant in relation to the objective being pursued".

While some saw the funny side of the text, others felt it was an "invasion of their privacy".

I'm sorry you got an unsolicited text from Mike Baird. I got a 100% solicited text from MenuLog. — Jeff Waugh (@jdub) March 27, 2015

Best faux-wife ever. @BridleM's reaction to the Mike Baird text....."get away from my wife you creep!" It's ❤️ hahaha — ana beaverhausen (@Anastasias_b) March 27, 2015

Wow! I just got a text from Mike Baird! If only I hadn't put his candidate last in my pre-poll vote..... #NSWVotes — Simmo, just Simmo (@SimmojustSimmo) March 27, 2015

"I find it really wrong and disrespectful," an anonymous caller to the Herald said.