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Introduction

Blog: Decision 2008

In this election season, the News & Record will give more voice to the people. Ten people with diverse backgrounds will comment about issues this fall. You’ll find Democrat and Republican, black and white, male and female, young and old. You’ll also find them interested in foreign policy and in Greensboro bond referenda.

We’ll ask them questions a couple of times a week and post their responses online.

Voterspeak predictions: Who's your guy? Who's your gal?

Voterspeak 15: Mending Fences

Bonus Voterspeak: Questions for Bev Perdue

Bonus Voterspeak: Questions for Pat McCrory

Voterspeak question 14: Helping McCain beat the polls

Bonus Voterspeak: Questions for Elizabeth Dole

Bonus Voterspeak: Questions for Kay Hagan

Question 12: What more do you need to know?

Question 11: Big numbers in Dems registrations

Question 10: Early voting

Question 9: What's in a county commissioner candidate?

Question 8: Greensboro bonds

Question 7: Council of State races

Question 6: Ask the VPs

Voterspeak weighs in on the debate

Question 5: The race for governor

Question 4: Economy and local races

Question 3: Assessing energy plans

Question 2: Senate, gubernatorial candidates

Question 1: Healing party rifts

Let us introduce you to the 10 people who make up Voterspeak.

Voterspeak Contributors

- - Jeff Bartolet
 - Age: 38From: GreensboroParty: RepublicanBackground: Bartolet, a church pastor, says he leans independent in elections and is paying attention to what impact the next presidential administration might have on the Supreme Court. He also doesn't plan to support any of the bonds on Greensboro's ballot.He says: "Our leaders should be people of tested character and integrity, who will not say what the polls or popular opinion suggest but who will make the best decisions with the information available at the time."
- - Phyllis Davis
 - Age: 64From: ArchdaleParty: RepublicanBackground: She owns a real estate company and has two grown children - one is a police chief, the other is also in real estate. Davis says she has held conservative views since before she registered to vote and does her own work to research candidates. She goes to Fox News, CNN and web sites for news but believes too many voters cast ballots based on emotion rather than facts.She says: "We don't need to get carried away with an empty promise - look past the 'glitter and glam.' Any good actor can do that. Empty words and no experience do not belong in the White House."
- - Marlene Costa Nielsen
 - Age: 67From: GreensboroParty: DemocratBackground: Nielsen, an American-born Hispanic, grew up in California before she moved here to take a job with Guilford County's Department of Social Services. She wants a candidate who will focus on health care, the economy and U.S. foreign policy.She says: "Issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, immigration" are getting too much attention in this election, "instead of the economy, environment, foreign relations."
- - Kendall Garvin
 - Age: 29From: GreensboroParty: IndependentBackground: Garvin is a mental-health technician for Moses Cone Health System. He believes that Barack Obama's experince level is getting too much attention in the media's coverage, though he hasn't made any clear decisions on any candidates.He says: "Some of the most important issues are having a clear plan for fixing problems dealing with economics, health care, war, education and minimum wage. Economics and education are closely tied to each other. No Child Left Behind is one of the worst things to happen to the American education system."
- - Trevor Hamm
 - Age: 25From: GreensboroParty: DemocratBackground: Hamm, a campus missionary for Every Nation Ministries, thinks the issue of experience is getting too much attention. He gets most of his news online but also checks in with MSNBC and CNN. He also visits <a href="http://www.theroot.com" title="www.theroot.com">www.theroot.com</a> for articles and blogs.He says: "The first presidential election I voted in was 2004. I voted for Bush largely because of his stance on 'values' issues and because I was uninspired by John Kerry's campaign."
- - Mike Kelly
 - Age: 60From: GreensboroParty: RepublicanBackground: A Libertarian perspective influences Kelly's political perspective. He adds that he has not made a decision on any candidates. Kelly is not a member of any political or other organizations, so that he can avoid the "herd mentality."He says: "As for candidates, I'm waiting for someone to really separate themselves from the political-correctness machine and really make a definitive statement about something, or anything, of worth. That's precisely the reason why I think the election process is not too long. It gives candidates lots of opportunities to screw up."
- - Deonna Kelli Sayed
 - Age: 34From: GreensboroParty: DemocratBackground: This Muslim mother of six (ages 6 to 18) is a part-time writer who just moved back to the States. Sayed's husband is an Afghan diplomat to the United Nations. The environment and local impacts of U.S. foreign policy are top issues for this blogger. She also watches Al Jazeera in English, reads the BBC online and listens to NPR.She says: "I turned 18 in 1992 and I was excited about voting. I chose President Clinton because I couldn't stand George Bush Sr. The 1990-1991 Gulf War frightened my generation - it was our first 'war.'"
- - Mike Sigmon
 - Age: 61From: GreensboroParty: RepublicanBackground: Sigmon is vice president of a manufacturers representative company and gets his news from the Internet, cable television, the Wall Street Journal and U.S. News & World Report. He believes that the media also portrays the economy as worse than it is.He says: "We need an experienced hand on the job," about the presidential election. "We have a great opportunity to make the Middle East open to democracy and freedom. We need to drill for oil and start up new nuclear power plants to break the stranglehold of OPEC."
- - Ruth Mary Weston
 - Age: 54From: GreensboroParty: DemocratBackground: She grew up in a six-person family in eastern Tennessee, is a lifelong Democrat and owns a small home-repair business. She says there's no one way to judge all candidates but that each one must be weighed on their own in the "context of the moment."She says: "Actual issues are barely receiving any real coverage, just regurgitation of talking points. Most coverage on mainstream TV is of the horserace. You have to watch C-SPAN coverage of wonky panel discussions to get facts to use in deciding where you stand on policy."
- - Kate Peeples
 - Age: 27From: GreensboroParty: IndependentBackground: A teacher in Guilford County Schools, Peeples is interested in what happens to No Child Left Behind, health insurance lobbying and Social Security. She gets news from "The Daily Show" and the New York Times and goes online for the BBC and The Guardian (England).She says: "Having effective (but not lying) communication skill both on- and off-camera is important. Through the last several administrations, we have come to expect our president, for example, to be considered buffoonish by Americans and the people of other countries as well."