Electoral unenthusiasm.

• Author: Gillespie, Nick
• Position: Editorial

IN "WHO'S GETTING YOUR VOTE?," our presidential poll that starts on page 24, I cop to the youthful indiscretion of pulling the lever for Walter Mondale back in 1984, the first presidential contest in which I cast a ballot. What can I say? Fritz's notorious "Norwegian charisma," combined with my sympathy for obvious losers and a general lack of interest in politics at the time, account for my decades-old decision.

As we gathered responses on past and pending votes from a wide variety of wonks, journalists, and thinkers for this issue, I was surprised by the range of responses, and not simply with regard to participants' "most embarrassing vote." (On that score, I think most readers will agree that John Perry Barlow's vote for George Wallace takes the prize, though P.J. O'Rourke's write-in ballot for "Chairman Meow" is a close second.)

I was even more struck by the almost complete lack of enthusiasm for any of this season's candidates. Election 2004 may or may not be the most fractious--and important--election in recent memory, but it is unquestionably the most dispiriting. Mirroring the national electorate, most of our poll participants are voting against someone rather than for someone. That is, when they can stomach making a decision at all. "Bush does not deserve re-election," says supply-side maven Jude Wanniski in a typical entry, "and Kerry does not deserve to be elected." Or, as Senior Editor Jacob Sullum sums up his sentiments, "I would like to see Bush lose, but without Kerry winning." Yet one of these two will win. (Sorry to break the news to Nader's...