Call-In for Undecided Voters

( Reece T. Williams/Gothamist )

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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. We're going to spend the last 10 or 15 minutes of the show today inviting you to express your ambivalence about any election this election season. This is a call-in for undecided voters in any race or on any ballot question. Call up and say why you can't decide yet who to vote for, or even whether to vote in any race or on any ballot question. 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692, call or text. We know a lot of people are decided. We're seeing the early voting numbers really pop, at least in New York City, and yet the polls show that about 5% to 10% in both the New York mayoral race and the New Jersey governor's race are undecided, or at least were going into this early voting week. That's not much, but it still could be the key to the outcome of either race.

If you are undecided for mayor of New York, for governor of New Jersey, or for any other race; Nassau County executive, Nassau County DA, Jersey City mayor. Should Jim McGreevey be allowed that comeback and become mayor of Jersey City? Or on any of the ballot questions, why haven't you been able to decide yet? 212-433-WNYC.

We want to acknowledge that swing voters come in two varieties, not just one; those who are torn between two candidates or yes or no on a ballot issue, and those who are torn between one candidate and not voting at all. I personally know several people who've always voted in the past, who are considering not voting for mayor because they don't trust any of the candidates for one reason or another. I've heard stories of other such people from friends for whom it's very unusual in each of these cases. These are chronic voters who, at this moment, are on the fence between one candidate or not voting at all.

I definitely respect that there is such a thing as a principled abstention to make a statement that politics as it exists produced only bad choices, in your opinion, in a given election. But the other side of that would be, hey, try to make up your mind. Just somehow, look yourself in the mirror, make a gut check, say, "If I had a vote right now, would I vote, or who would I vote for?" Because otherwise, we leave it all to competing camps of the most opinionated people, which might not be a good thing for our polarized country, but maybe you think you're making a principled decision to consider not voting at all. So, either type of swing voter, either you're undecided between two candidates, or undecided about whether to vote at all, or vote for one candidate who you're not completely in love with, or on a ballot issue. 212-433-WNYC, call or text, 212-433-9692.

You know, we say that a lot on this show when everything in the media, especially social media, seems to be a cult of certainty. Ambivalence, welcomed here. Indulge your ambivalence regarding this election season right after this.

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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Now you get to indulge your ambivalence. Why are you still undecided at this late date on any election this election season between candidates or on ballot questions, and whether it's between two candidates or between one candidate and not voting at all? Brian in Manhattan, you're on WNYC. Hi, Brian.

Brian: Hey, good morning, Brian. How are you?

Brian Lehrer: Good. Who are you choosing between [crosstalk]-- Go ahead.

Brian: I sway every day, it's Mamdani or Cuomo. Yesterday, I was Mamdani, now I'm Cuomo, and I told your screener [crosstalk]--

Brian Lehrer: Mamdani. We should do a whole show on why so many people can't-- even people of goodwill, which not everybody is, can't pronounce Mamdani. Kathy Hochul mispronounced Mamdani four times at the rally that she appeared with him the other day. Anyway, go ahead.

Brian: Here's the deal. Honestly, I look at the resume of Cuomo-- I'm a gay man, I love that he brought marriage equality to New York, the Second Avenue subway, Moynihan: he has proof in his resume that he gets stuff done. But then there's that hopeful side, there's that movement that Mamdani has, and that is just-- When I talk to people who are in their 20s and early 30s, they're all for him. When I talk to people who are my age, in their 40s and 50s, they're swaying towards Cuomo. Yesterday, I talked with a friend of mine who is a 49-year-old lesbian, and I thought for sure she was with Mamdani, but then she's like, "No, I think it's going to be Cuomo," and I just-- I normally early-vote. This time, I need the next few days to figure this out. I'm looking at the voter guide, I'm a mess.

Brian Lehrer: Brian, good luck figuring it out. Maybe you'll call in on our informal, unofficial, thoroughly unscientific election day exit poll that we'll do next Tuesday. Arthur in the East Village, you're on WNYC. Hi, Arthur. Indulge your ambivalence.

Arthur: Hi. Basically, the same thing. I mean, I think Mamdani, without a doubt, is the better person in character, but he's too young, and Trump has already said, basically, "F-U, I'm not going to give this guy a cent." As someone who was born and raised in the city, I remember back in the '70s with Beame and Ford, all those programs that Mamdani is doing. And again, I love him. It's a real conflict, because I think he's the better guy, but we're living in these dark times, and I think Washington's going to turn off the funding, and we're going to-- You know, I fear, as someone who lived through White Flight and everything else, I know how bad this city can get. I remember when cops and firefighters were cut, they just couldn't pay them. I'm afraid that we might go into another situation, so it's a tremendous conflict for me, because I really think Mamdani is the best candidate, you know?

Brian Lehrer: But you're afraid that Trump is going to punish the city so much that it would come out a net negative. I hear your dilemma. Call us next Tuesday after you decide. Some New Jersey ones that are coming in, a listener writes, "I'm a left-leaning Democrat who's finding it hard to vote for Mikie Sherrill. Her attacks on Ciattarelli have turned me off so much. Democrats will not get votes by making unfair accusations," but that voter still undecided. Another one in New Jersey, "Undecided. I want Mikie Sherrill to earn my vote, but I feel like she's just playing not to lose. Even if I don't completely agree with Ciattarelli, I feel like he has made his positions more clear." So, there's some Jersey gubernatorial ambivalence after a couple of calls of New York mayoral ambivalence. Olivia in Manhattan is undecided on New York ballot question six. Hi, Olivia.

Olivia: Hi, Brian. Yes, I was initially pretty enthusiastic about moving the election years to align with the federal ones because-- increasing voter participation. I also know, if Mamdani wins, then that means he has to serve like an extra year or something because of the way that the terms work out. But then I saw some discussion about whether or not that might drown out city issues with like the federal issues, or sort of national political environment. That's, I think, something that people are really liking about Mamdani's campaign, that he was focusing on actual city things instead of just this being another referendum on that sort of thing. That's sort of what I'm toying around with. I haven't decided how I'll vote yet.

Brian Lehrer: Yes, those are the big arguments on both sides of that. More turnout if it's in a presidential election year. Less oxygen in the room for media coverage of the mayoral race if there's also coverage of president going on at the same time. Kurt in Manhattan, you're on WNYC. Hi, Kurt.

Kurt: Hello. Yes, I'm undecided. I keep actually going back and forth on the three charter revision proposals about approving or not of housing initiatives--

Brian Lehrer: Affordable housing more quickly. Yes.

Kurt: Yes, exactly. It's confusing, because the city council's against it. I frankly mistrust the fact that these were developed under an Adams-initiated commission, but there's plenty of people who I really respect their opinion who are in favor of them, so-- And I guess, not knowing the details of what's actually in these things. I keep hearing that the text is misleading the way they're printed out, publicized, so one day I'm for some of them, the other day I'm against all of them. I'm another person who's waiting to make up my mind before I can vote.

Brian Lehrer: A lot of people like you on those, I think. All right, listeners, maybe this helped some others of you who are also ambivalent, just to hear some of your fellow listeners articulate their dilemmas. So, good luck, everybody, making up your minds on who to vote for, what ballot initiative side to take, or whether to vote between now and the deadline, which we used to call Election Day, on Tuesday. That's the Brian Lehrer Show for today, produced by Mary Croke, Lisa Allison, Amina Srna, Carl Boisrond, and Esperanza Rosenbaum. Our interns this term are Amanda De Jesus and Miranda Santos. Juliana Fonda at the audio controls. Stay tuned for All Of It.

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