October 2008

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I suppose we all have run up against something this election that makes us go "huh?" and for me it's the people who say they can't understand how someone can still be undecided x-many days before November 4.

I don't have a problem with the still-undecided's indecision. I do have a problem with people picking at the undecided ones.

Guess what! Assuming those undecided ones do intend to vote for any offices (rather than abstain), they don't absolutely have to decide until they are in the act of casting ballots! They are not under any obligation to decide right this minute! And beyond that, they are never under any obligation to make their decisions public!

For the record, I am not undecided on any of the races for which I'm eligible to vote. I've studied the sample ballot and made sure I know enough about the candidates to have made my choices. But that's me. I've been clear on my priorities for a long time, and most of "my" candidates won their respective primary battles, so I didn't have to put too much more thought into the thing.

But I can give you a scenario that I'll bet is playing out, especially for those whose first choices didn't make it all the way to nomination. I'll bet they're asking themselves what the core differences are between the candidates. I'll bet they're thinking over the speeches they've heard, and the news reports, and whatever else they use for information. I'll bet they've found that one candidate's plan on Issue A is more to their liking, while another candidate has a better idea for Issue B.

So maybe they're sitting around asking themselves whether A or B is their personal more-important issue. Maybe they're talking to their friends and families. Maybe they're paying attention to the endorsements of people or organizations they respect. Maybe they're praying (an action not only the province of the Religious Right).

Whatever they're doing, I doubt seriously they're being stubborn or sore losers. It may just take more time than you know it will take.

So I don't think it's unusual that there are people still undecided. I think it's reason to applaud people thinking.

If you're undecided, take your time. You have till whatever time you go vote November 4. And if anyone gives you a hard time about not announcing a commitment right this minute, well, tell the person Becky says shut up.