What Influences Your Vote?

[AGDee]

Discussions in a couple of these threads as well as a discussion I had with my kids' babysitter have made me ponder.. What influences your vote?

The babysitter discussion was essentially this: She is against school vouchers, is against the Iraq war, is against the death penalty, thinks there should be more gun control, is upset about the state of the economy (which is still far worse in Michigan than in most states), and is upset about cuts in social programs. However, she said she is voting for Bush because she is Pro Life and anti-gay marriage. From the discussion, it seemed as though these were the only two issues in which she was in agreement with Bush, but those two issues are so significant to her, that he will get her vote because of them.

So, what issues lead you to vote the way you do? (This isn't a thread for debating the issues, just for discussing how you make your choice.)

My main issues are health care, economy, and education.

Dee