As a voter, what makes the biggest impact to you?

How bad they make the other candidate look.

@Ltryptophan Really? In a good way, or a bad way? I always thought running a clean campaign was the way to go, no?

You have to be pretty special to win because you are you, and you have certain stances. You don’t have to be that special to trash the other guy into oblivion and win by process of elimination.

Their party’s history and current players at the provincial and federal level. Municipally, their track record as Aldermen and experience if they are a newbie gunning for the position.

In my history of voting (the first being the Bush/Kerry election), it’s been the choice of the “lesser evil”. Who am I less afraid of? I’ve yet to find a candidate I actually wanted to vote for. The closest I’ve come so far was Ron Paul (even changed my official party affiliation so I could vote for him in the primaries), but I definitely didn’t agree with his stance against Social organisations.

I’m totally jaded about voting. They’re all liars and crooks as far as I’m concerned, and I don’t trust the integrity of the voting process. To me, trying to process the messaging and weigh the candidates is a waste of energy, because the storyline inevitably changes as soon as they get into office. I would concede that this is probably a little less true the more local elections become.

I’ve never susbscribed to either major party (I was an active Green several years ago), so that also pretty much ensures that I’ll be dissatisfied regardless of the outcome.

For an incumbent I focus on their voting record. Otherwise, I usually vote against someone rather than for someone.

Their position on issues that are important to me. Or their lack thereof.

Answering questions directly, and not skirting issues. Being solutions-oriented. Not using buzz words but real words. Being able to get the point across, without being negative toward the other candidates.

One word Access:
If their campain office is accessible to someone who doesn’t own a car… In my riding the person who gets elected unfortunatly lives in another town and doesn’t give two shits about my problems in my little town of 1500 enough to open an office there…all we get is flyers and poor access… when ever I write my local politician I can’t seem to get past the office assistants and they end up giving poor answers to my confidental problems….but he keeps geting elected and keeps ignorning people at his leisure…and people from our town keep not voting for him…

I (not thinking much of the lineup) decided that I would spend my 2008 Primaries vote on whichever candidate tried his best to be genuinely funny. Mike Huckabee won my support with his Chuck Norris Jokes ad.
Most of the attempts by the candidates to appeal to Internet culture were pathetic, like the Youtube debates.

Then I found out that Huckabee and I also have similar principles and the same God.

Actually, besides just the general issues. The determining factor for me falls in two seperate areas.
Who is the lesser evil of the two.
Who would intimidate other world leaders the most or at least earn their respect.
Its why I never wanted Bush. I felt he was nothing like his dad and other world leader would either see him as a door mat or an idiot and a fool.

Offering long-term solutions instead of promising short-term tactical activity.

I don’t pay attention to what candidates say in speeches as much as what the candidates track record is when they were in office or how they performed in other positions prior to the one they are running for. I think people should have more freedom to make personal choices for themselves without the DEA, FDA and FTC interfering. I find myself voting more for 3rd party candidates or people it seems have very little shot at winning because of their views matching mine to some degree. I also find at times (when its down to either candidate that I don’t like) that I don’t vote at all.

I don’t agree with Ron Paul on every issue but feel he is one of the few that stands up for the constitution. I wouldn’t mind Jesse Ventura running for president but doubt that will happen.

If what they are saying makes sense. Not that it sounds good.
But, what they are attempting is realistic.

And, how many babies they kiss.

…what makes the biggest impact to you?

Not getting my wallet fucked with….

@boffin If I may ask, do you mean you don’t want your wallet tampered with during the campaign (ie donation requests, etc) or post-election (ie tax hikes, etc)?

@Taciturnu I was headed in the post election direction. Since I haven’t been hit up “Yet” for campaign contributions. And with that I’d now say “Both”...

I just received a political advert in the mail that said “This flyer was printed, prepared, and mailed using taxpayer funds.”

I translated that as “Please do not vote for this person.”

@boffin Thanks. :)

@Seek_Kolinahr Yeah, I would pretty much say the same. It wasn’t a hoax-y kinda thing?

Sadly, it was totally serious.

@Seek_Kolinahr I think they’re legally required to disclose that so I expect almost every political mailer has that printed on it some where.