A common misconception about “undecided voters” is that they predominantly consist of people waiting to make a last-minute, impulsive decision between the two major party candidates, in this year’s election former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Some such voters do exist—despite what you might gather from internet comment sections. Yet the modal “undecided” voter, at least based on my recent conversations across Pennsylvania, is more likely to be someone deciding between voting and not voting at all.
“My thing is, if I vote, does it change anything?” said Sergio Martinez, an Amazonwarehouse worker in Bethlehem, PA. “Does it make a difference? ‘Cause they gonna do what they want to do no matter what.” If prodded, Martinez comes across as an eminently persuadable voter for Trump; he said Harris “seems like she’s always lying,” and reported positive recollections of the economy during Trump’s first term. But even with a negative attitude toward Harris …