tough living in Ohio in a presidential election year

11 years ago

I cannot tell you how many recorded and unrecorded surveys we get on the phone in a day - how are you going to vote in the presidential election? I thought everyone was being bombarded with election stuff. Guess it is only a handful of swing states. If it is a recording I hang up. If it is a real person I usually say undecided. Well, I am ashamed to say I have blown my stack and slammed my front door on two solicitors. Both times soft spoken women in their 30's-40's. Tonight there was a lady with a clip board who first hands me a prayer. Uh oh I think. Then she wants to mark off who I plan on voting for in the fall. I go into my rant on don't we have secret ballots in this country? Isn't it my right to vote privately? You can tell by her eyes that she has no clue why secret ballots mean anything and why I am over reacting. I will discuss the pros and cons of those running and argue one way or the other (usually taking the opposite side just to get a good discussion going.) I honestly don't know why it irks me so much when people as me who I am going to vote for.

So now I feel stupid and mean.

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Comments (11)

west_gardener
11 years ago
I know it can be frustrating with all the attention. But you live in a battle ground state, in addition you are a very important female voter. Lol, everybody wants your vote.
Be proud that you are so important, and you could tell the pollsters to quit calling you or give them a piece of your mind.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ohio women voters.
anneliese_32
11 years ago
Thanks goodness, my phone tells me all the 800 and 900 calls. If it's somebody, like one of the medical offices, they leave a message and usually have the name on the answering screen, all the others can ring to doomsday. If somebody else lands at my door, I tell them that my vote is privat. If my husband wants to answer, that is his privilege
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kathyjane
11 years ago
tibs---if you feel stupid and mean---they pushed you to it!

Get a 'No Soliciting' sign 'til it's over!

Not too much longer to go! .... :o)
KJ
tibs
Original Author
11 years ago
Wow, West Gardener, I had no idea I was so important to this election. And my husband and I joke about how we might as well not even vote because we just cancel each other out. And my daughter will proably not even vote...don't get me started on that - I cannot beleive how little either of my kids see any importance in voting. They don't think their vote makes any difference. They think the whole thing is rigged.
rob333 (zone 7b)
11 years ago
I'm with Kathy, make a big sign that you put on your door. Should cover at least half of the door. Shame on them.
meldy_nva
11 years ago
Living in a DC suburb, all types of surveys seem to have our phone number. Too many? yes. More than usual for a presidential election year? no.

Do we answer them? no, not any more. The breaking point came when 5 calls in a row were from folks speaking with so much accent, they were nearly unintelligible. Or maybe the break came from a call (sponsored by the challenger's office?) which quickly segued from the standard do-you-have-a-preference to a near-harangue deriding the incumbent. DH and I had been noting that there did seem to be a great many surveys that were definitely not impartial, which seems to remove them from the "survey" category. The calls have all left me with a very cynical regard for any published survey results. Anyway, past years have shown me that a few hours spent in public places, simply listening to overheard conversations [much easier now that cell phones are so common], will give a fairly accurate impression of which candidate has more support, and why the opposition isn't leading.

I wonder if the general lack of dinner-table conversation combines with the way-too-many commercials to deaden the young ones to informed voting... if no one ever tells them *they* are responsible for the type of government we have, there isn't any reason for them to feel it necessary to vote for any particular candidate or issue.
petaloid
11 years ago
Why do these people always phone me during Jeopardy?

The need to get their priorities straight, for Pete's sake!
calliope
11 years ago
People are keeping their cards close to their chests in Ohio. I have never seen so little political signage. Just not our style to make a lot of noise, but feelings are running deep. We'll be at the polls. It's coal country, hunting country, double digit unemployment country, highest church per capita country. Not a millieu I'd expect the huff post to really understand, but good try with that link.
west_gardener
11 years ago
Yes, indeed , Ohio is the state to watch,
sunshinemom9427
11 years ago
We don't answer our house phone. If I do answer and I can tell it is a solicitor, I start babbling in "my strange" language and they hang up. Nice to have cell phone. I guess this will happen whenever there is an election. And all parties do it. Best wishes to Ohio -I hope they are voting - MY WAY!! :)
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
11 years ago
Man you are not kidding. I never realized how inundated OH is with political ads until moving to AL. I thought the ads just took over the TV no matter where people live but that's NOT TRUE. There are no political commercials here except for the local offices. Sooo different! If not for the news, there's no indication we're on the threshold of a presidential election at all.