Influence

I felt only slightly bad last night cutting off someone calling for my vote during the election by saying, "I made my decision regarding who to vote for before your call, and it wasn't for your candidate" before the speaker even had a chance to say anything.

I don't know why really, but political calls annoy me. I understand why they are made (mostly for polling purposes I assume) but I wonder how much influence they have on how someone votes. I know for me if you call me asking for my vote I am just going to be aggravated by it. Maybe it is because I am someone who actually researches and educates myself about the candidates and I don't need a phone call to help make my decision. I wonder the same thing about lawn signs. Do these signs actually influence or change the way someone votes? I guess it might make a difference to someone who doesn't do the research and votes solely on the basis of who signs they have seen the most of. Is this any way to vote though? I suppose the candidates don't care, as long as they are elected. It is just a major turn off for me when someone doesn't educate themselves about who will represent them and clearly, someone who votes based solely on signs, is not making a well informed decision.

It isn't all that shocking that every political call I have gotten in this election year has been from a Republican candidate. It makes sense in the current political climate. I am registered as an independent (or is it called undeclared now?) but I honestly don't think I have ever voted for a Republican. I just wanted the option. I truly do vote for the person, not the party. It just so happens that I have always liked more what the Democratic candidate had to say.