Document text
Voters forced to decide Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Nonaffiliated voter Newt Likely of Jacksonville left the ranks of the undecided last week when he marked his mail-in ballot for George W. Bush. Some vote against, not for a candidate By Dani Dodge Three months ago, they were just six undecided voters in a cast of millions. Their role was daunting: pick the next U.S. president. Over the ensuing days and weeks, most read newspapers, watched television news and analyzed presidential debates. Some paid little attention except for viewing snippets of debates on late-night news talk shows. In the end, only one of the six undecided voters followed by the Mail Tribune voted for a presidential candidate. The rest voted against . Mostly against Vice President Al Gore. They described him as "wishy-washy" "immature" and "undignified." Some also disliked his tax or spending plans. Not that they thought George W. Bush was any great prize either. They just thought he was a little less embarrassing. And maybe a little more likely to keep the economy strong. "I�d like to see a little dignity in the White House," said 76-year-old Newt Likely as he sealed his ballot with a resigned sigh this week. "I don�t think either of these dudes we got has it. But I�d rather have Bush representing the country ... so I voted against Gore, not for Bush." With the fate of the election turning on how a large group of undecided voters made up their minds, in August the Mail Tribune began tracking the opinions of six of those undecided voters in the Rogue Valley. Their ages ranged from 19 to 76 and they included two nonaffiliated voters, two Republicans, and two Democrats, although one Democrat switched to Pacific Green. Most continued to be undecided into the debates. But those six hours of exposure over three weeks did the trick. After the debates, four of the undecideds leaned away from Gore. Those feelings solidified as they put pencil to paper and marked their ballots this week and last. Few felt strong conviction for their vote, though. At least one � 20-year-old Amber Bates � was willing to change her mind up to the day she mailed in her ballot.Only the Pacific Green Party member was thrilled about his choice. Rueben Davis, 29, drove his 1990 Toyota 4-by-4 up to the mailbox across from the Ashland Post Office Friday afternoon shouting his joy into a cell phone. "I�m dropping my stamped envelope into the mailbox," he yelled as if cheering a high school football game. "And I voted for � who else? � RALPH NADER!" Davis had the adrenaline of conviction behind his vote. "The most important thing now is slaying the two-headed beast," he said of the country�s two-party system. The other undecideds were remarkable only in their lack of enthusiasm for the candidates. Only one of the undecideds lent her vote to Gore: Donna Epstein, 61, of Applegate turned in her ballot early last week. "From the beginning, I looked at what I didn�t like about the candidates," she said. "Bush has more I-don�t-likes than Gore and I chose not to vote for Bush." She said she was concerned about Bush�s approach to privatizing a portion of Social Security, she doesn�t want a Medicare HMO and she doesn�t like the idea of the government paying for private schools through vouchers. But she�s not much of a Gore cheerleader either. She probably wouldn�t even invite him to dinner given the chance, she said. "I don�t know if I trust him," she said. "I think he exaggerates a lot." Bates, of Medford, and 19-year-old Matthew Beeson of Talent both cast their first presidential votes for Bush. Both had hoped to learn more about third-party candidates before the election, but found few resources. Beeson was particularly intrigued by Reform candidate John Hagelin�s entry in the Voters� Pamphlet. "But thanks to the media who only bothered to cover the main two and a little bit of Nader, I�m going to have to go with the person I know best from what I�ve heard" Beeson said. Bates was shocked by how much research was necessary to make an informed decision. In the end, she thought Bush was more realistic about finances than Gore. A college student, she filled out only her choice for president. The rest of her ballot went blank. "I voted for Bush because I think he will try to keep things where they are and things aren�t that bad economy-wise," she said. Robert Soltz, 40, of Medford had issues with Gore�s tax plans. He had even more issues with Gore himself. Although he said he dislikes how the Republican candidates have been trying to whittle away people�s rights to abortion and physician-assisted suicide, he chose Bush. "I don�t think Gore is a rational enough person to be president of the United States," he said. Back in August, Likely thought diligent research would reveal the best presidential choice. A lifelong nonaffiliated voter, Likely is proud to have voted both Republicans and Democrats into the nation�s highest office. He felt certain he�d find the right guy this time, too. He never did. As he marked his ballot with a No. 2 pencil last week, the Jacksonville man said he had to settle for the least of two evils. "I sure hope that they get someone in there next time that I can really get behind and endorse," said Likely. "(Joe) Lieberman and (Dick) Cheney (the vice presidential candidates), I could get behind either one of them right now." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.