# Undecided Voters:
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [October 18, 2008, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559 "2008-10-18T21:13:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Professor\_So\_And\_So](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Professor_So_And_So)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2008, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/1 "2008-10-18T21:13:38Z")
With all of the obvious differences between the two presidential tickets in this election, I’m having a hard time understanding what the reasons may be for still being undecided at this point. I feel that anyone paying attention to the campaigns of these candidates should have, by now, developed informed opinions of the various personalities. However, my reasoning really doesn’t seem to be playing out in National polls (at least the ones that I have seen).
Are any of you currently on the fence for the upcoming election? If so, why? Does anyone feel that there is a idealistic vacuum in the center of these tickets?
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### Author:  [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/2 "2008-10-18T21:34:03Z")
Nope. They’re the ones who are just like my mom. They won’t vote, because they don’t want to make a decision. “They’re BOTH crooks…” “All they do is pick on each other…” “Why don’t they talk about the issues…”
Fuck em.
You can find all the details online. The truth is, you don’t want to make a decision. You don’t want to do the work. You just want to bitch.
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### Author:  [@Merkwurdigliebe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merkwurdigliebe)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/3 "2008-10-18T21:46:17Z")
I think at this point, the undeicded voters are simply those who vote based on feelings. They are judging based not on facts, but mainly on feelings. These are the groups of people who voted for Bush because he seemed like a guy who would seem like a nice guy to hang out with. McCain and Obama both don’t seem too appealing to these people for various reasons.
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### Author:  [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/4 "2008-10-18T21:56:58Z")
I haven’t decided if I’m going to vote this time around.
I don’t like McCain on abortion or gay marriage.
I don’t like Obama on guns or economics.
It’s sorta like choosing between flat cola or tofu burgers. I don’t want either one.
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### Author:  [@Professor\_So\_And\_So](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Professor_So_And_So)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/5 "2008-10-18T22:01:01Z")
> [@Oakminster](#):
>
> I don’t like Obama on guns or economics.
Does this imply that you are in favor of McCain’s economic strategy?
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### Author:  [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/6 "2008-10-18T22:25:41Z")
> [@Professor\_So\_And\_So](#):
>
> Does this imply that you are in favor of McCain’s economic strategy?
Nope. Part of the problem is neither candidate has a position that I strongly favor on many issues.
Things I want in a POTUS:
1. Belief/acceptance that the Constitution exists to limit the power of the State. It’s provisions are not to be avoided by an end run, not to be ignored, and not to be amended lightly.
2. Cautious use of military force when necessary. No invading sovereign nations without a damn good reason.
3. Except in times of war–actual, declared war–or other emergency as declared by a 2/3 supermajority of both houses of Congress, spending must be less than or equal to tax revenue.
4. Respect for and protection of rights to privacy and civil liberties.
5. Government should get smaller, not bigger.
6. Chief Justice Oakminster has a damn fine ring to it…
7. Positions on other issues consistent with small “L” libertarian thought, with some drifting to the right or left of center allowed.
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### Author:  [@Professor\_So\_And\_So](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Professor_So_And_So)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/7 "2008-10-18T22:40:07Z")
So Oakminster, out of curiosity, do you feel that within the next 3 weeks one of these candidates will expose themselves to be vote-worthy based on your criteria? Also, if one doesn’t, will you stay home on Nov. 4th?
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### Author:  [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/8 "2008-10-18T22:47:48Z")
A news report I heard on the radio the other day had a nice euphemism for (most of) the remaining undecided voters: _low information voters_. 😉
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### Author:  [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/9 "2008-10-18T22:48:40Z")
> [@Professor\_So\_And\_So](#):
>
> So Oakminster, out of curiosity, do you feel that within the next 3 weeks one of these candidates will expose themselves to be vote-worthy based on your criteria? Also, if one doesn’t, will you stay home on Nov. 4th?
I don’t see either candidate “earning” my vote in the homestretch. They’ve been trying for two years now, and I’m not impressed with either guy. If I vote at all, it will come down to choosing the lesser of two evils. Obama would likely cost me money eventually and might try to take away my guns. McCain has strange notions about the Constitution, and bad taste in running mates.
Most likely result is I show up to vote. Got a guy I know running in one of the local elections. Might just skip the top line on the ballot. Might write in Rickey Jackson, since he’s my favorite LB of all time.
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### Author:  [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2008, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/10 "2008-10-18T23:19:59Z")
> [@Oakminster](#):
>
> Things I want in a POTUS:
>
> 1. Belief/acceptance that the Constitution exists to limit the power of the State. It’s provisions are not to be avoided by an end run, not to be ignored, and not to be amended lightly.
>
> …
>
> 1. Respect for and protection of rights to privacy and civil liberties.
You know, if you ever actually took the time to study some basic civics and law …
oh
wait
nevermind 😉
I’m kind of a one-issuer; my main concern is the courts. In some ways it’s easy to believe that all jurisprudence boils down to Roe v. Wade, but there is so, so much more. IMHO, the court choices are among the most lasting and impactful (on a day to day basis) decisions the President makes. Well there is that war thing, but there’s the chance that we’ll have Alito/Roberts for at least twenty years.
How do you reconcile McCain’s constant stumping with the myth of strict interpretation blah blah blah codeword for Roe versus Obama’s in-depth knowledge and engagement with Constitutional issues?
(Bonus question: other than his books and campaign literature, are there any papers out there Obama wrote while teaching or otherwise? Law journal articles?)
Also, I’d be very interested to know how the six-of-one-half-dozen-of-another set feel about the possibility of a Palin presidency.
Oh, and Oakminster, thanks for reassuring everyone that someone can be both undecided and not a drooling idiot (though I’m guessing at the drooling bit).
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### Author:  [@Professor\_So\_And\_So](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Professor_So_And_So)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/11 "2008-10-19T02:08:01Z")
[QUOTE=Rhythmdvl]
Also, I’d be very interested to know how the six-of-one-half-dozen-of-another set feel about the possibility of a Palin presidency.
[/QUOTE]
When I imagine myself as being someone that is still undecided in this race, that concept alone would force me to make a decision. What an embarrassment she is.
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### Author:  [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2008, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/12 "2008-10-20T00:22:14Z")
**Oakminster** ’s post could well have been my own, which is why I’m voting for Mike Gravel, and I’d encourage him to do the same. I believe that a large part of the reason we end up with so many undecided voters (apart from the people who just plain don’t care, whom I assume we’re excluding from this discussion) is that so many people place an artificial limit on their choices.
Before the inevitable starts in, voting for a candidate outside the major parties is only a “wasted vote” because people refuse to do it despite not particularly liking the Democratic or Republican candidates. They refuse to do it because they don’t want to vote for someone who can’t win; they believe that a third-party candidate can’t win because nobody votes for them; nobody votes for them because they don’t want to waste their vote. [Interesting argument](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A688287), but I prefer not to treat things as foregone conclusions before they occur (others have phrased this [more succinctly than I](http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_'Don't_count_your_chickens_before_they_hatch'_mean)), especially when they’re directly and entirely dependent on the choices of individuals.
If the voting public at large would realize that there are more than two people every four years who have “attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States”, we’d see a lot less indecision, and likely be a stronger country for it.
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### Author:  [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/13 "2008-10-20T00:42:55Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#):
>
> A news report I heard on the radio the other day had a nice euphemism for (most of) the remaining undecided voters: _low information voters_. 😉
That’s more accurate than you think. Some folks simply DO just need the information.
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### Author:  [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2008, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/14 "2008-10-20T03:53:55Z")
Hey, I just noticed **Oakminster** is back! Cool.
I’m not undecided anymore, but I understand those who are. With a two-party system as polarized as this is, I honestly believe that people who are not agonizing over this decision are the ones that are a little weird. Straight party line voters strike me as uninformed and/or lazy, but I’ve been called far worse things so it’s probably just me.
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### Author:  [@rainwalker78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainwalker78)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2008, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/15 "2008-10-20T05:50:38Z")
I’m not so much undecided as having 2nd thoughts.
Last Thanksgiving I had a conversation with my brother and his fiance about who we were going to vote for. I said that my first choice was McCain, and my second choice was Obama. I didn’t expect either of them to get nominated, let alone both. McCain was still my first choice, but I was excited that even if he lost, I would still get my second choice.
But then I started having second thoughts. I guess they started when Palin was picked as a VP candidate. Frankly, I wasn’t really impressed with either VP pick, but Palin actually scares me a little.
I also don’t like a lot of things that republicans are doing, and it makes me want to vote against them. Stuff said at rally’s, the Obama is a Muslim crap, the Obama flag crap. Frankly, it pisses me off. If I could get McCain with out the rest of the republican party, I would. Since I can’t, I am seriously thinking of voting for Obama. But it is an agonizing choice. I have been wanting to cast my vote for McCain since 2000.
If I had to vote today I would probably vote Obama. But before I fill out my ballot and send it in (I’m an early voter), I wan’t to get as comfortable as I can with my vote.
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### Author:  [@happiness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happiness)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/16 "2008-10-21T01:20:57Z")
I’m still undecided, and it is definitely not from a lack of information. Also, I’m generally a quite decisive person. I think I just agree with **Oakminster** , in that for me, this election is choosing the lesser of two evils (I actually said those exact words while discussing this yesterday). My problem is that socially, I’m quite liberal, but with other things, including economics, I tend to lean to the conservative side. So it is not a lack of information that has me stuck, but in fact an overabundance of information.
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### Author:  [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2008, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/17 "2008-10-21T03:00:36Z")
I’m a specific variety of undecided. I like both candidates. Both are good men, and while lots of their positions are the opposite of each other, that doesnt bother me, since I only agree with half of anything they say anyway.
So come election day, I’m not voting for president, since I think both will do a good job, and have no preference for either.
I’m sure that if I looked deeply enough, and studied their professional careers in depth, and did some soul searching, I could determine one that I ultimately preferred over the other, but its frankly not worth the effort. For once, I will be happy regardless of the outcome of the race.
As I said, I’m a specific variety of undecided. 😉
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2008, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/18 "2008-10-21T03:50:55Z")
> [@Oakminster](#):
>
> Nope. Part of the problem is neither candidate has a position that I strongly favor on many issues.
>
> Things I want in a POTUS:
>
> 1. Belief/acceptance that the Constitution exists to limit the power of the State. It’s provisions are not to be avoided by an end run, not to be ignored, and not to be amended lightly.
>
> 2. Cautious use of military force when necessary. No invading sovereign nations without a damn good reason.
>
> 3. Except in times of war–actual, declared war–or other emergency as declared by a 2/3 supermajority of both houses of Congress, spending must be less than or equal to tax revenue.
>
> 4. Respect for and protection of rights to privacy and civil liberties.
>
> 5. Government should get smaller, not bigger.
>
> 6. Chief Justice Oakminster has a damn fine ring to it…
>
> 7. Positions on other issues consistent with small “L” libertarian thought, with some drifting to the right or left of center allowed.
You just defined what Bush did. Yet you have trouble with the dems? I guess you think McCain isn’t a repub. He is just like Bush.
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### Author:  [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/19 "2008-10-21T06:01:46Z")
Until recently, I was undecided. My indecision had nothing to do with any speculations mentioned above.
I was prepared to be an Obama supporter from the beginning. But while I was waiting for him to come up with some issues, I noticed the effect he was having on people by not really doing anything. It creeped me out. So Hillary was going to get my vote.
When Hillary bailed, I was undecided. I considered McCain, but I didn’t know much about him. Then he picked Palin, and I decided to be a non-voter.
Then, my nephew joined the Marines. I hope Obama is successful in stopping the war.
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### Author:  [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2008, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/undecided-voters/468559/20 "2008-10-21T06:08:22Z")
I haven’t met any undecided voters yet. Most of who I know made up their minds long ago.
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