In 2008 I threatened to pay more attention this year and not vote for anybody that starts campaigning before the first of the year.
I try to vote for the least barefaced lying, slimy candidate. Sometimes I change my mind because of some last minute sliminess that tips the scales.
It’s a challenge weighing this lie against that one, which slimy thing is most egregious, and such.
When that thought occurs to me, I vote anyway. Except, I vote for the person I really want to win, which is often a third party. In my case, it’s usually smaller, more local elections.
I just changed my mind for the first time. I am voting in the first national election since becoming a Canadian citizen. My riding has generally voted 70-80% for the Liberal candidate and I was wavering between throwing my vote away on the Greens or the NDP. But the Conservatives found a credible candidate to run against the Liberal, so I feel I’d better vote for him.
In US elections, I have never voted Republican because, as Kyla’s father said, they hate poor people. It is the mean party. I have voted for Obama in two elections, but I am wondering if I will again.
Incidentally, I wouldn’t expect Dopers to change their votes because whatever side they were on they wouldn’t be Dopers if they hadn’t paid attention between elections.
I’ve never changed my mind in a general election, but did change in the 2008 primaries. I supported Hillary until it was obvious she couldn’t win, then switched to Obama.
In 2000 I had every intention of voting for Nader as I walked into the booth. I couldn’t do it because I though Bush was terrible.
Like gonzomax, I was originally planning to vote for Nader in 2000. However at the time I was also a member of another board affiliated with an Indy rag. On that board a Green party member was so caught up in trying to convince me that the Democrats and Republicans were the same that I ended up switching to Gore.