Whew! Only 24 days until the Big Election. It will be the time in which we will be able to remove the dust of the political forays from the television screen. At least it can be done with a dust cloth. However, the political decisions made on Election Day will remain with us much longer.

The many years that I spent as a worker at the election site bring many pleasing memories. There is one thought-provoking incident that returns from time to time - one in which a voter, upon approaching the ward table, asked, "Well, who is running today?" He was sincere in question, and was properly registered, but was certainly not an informed voter.

Elections are, of course, the process by which citizens choose their governing officers, and the policies of their government. It is a fundamental principle of representative government. Some individuals view voting as a duty, as important as obeying the law. Voting will never be mandated by law, but hopefully voters will become more knowledgeable about who they are voting for, and will not be influenced by factors that are not within the government's legally sanctioned privilege and authority.

It is not being disloyal or unpatriotic to acknowledge and to protest that this government has been increasingly influenced by uncontrolled special interests. Voters should also want to know which candidates will do the bidding of well-heeled campaign contributors and their lobbyists. Or will the candidate vote in the best interest of the people and for the common good?

Misinformation, as well as information, brings people to the voting booth. Have you ever wondered why campaign commercials are not controlled by the Truth in Advertising Act?

How many people continue to vote for the candidate whose political affiliation has been their family's long tradition? It sure saves time thinking about it. Or because the candidate remembers your name while "pressing your flesh" in a warm handshake. The other hand is probably placed on your arm as his evidence of a close relationship. That is the time to remember those hands will be in your pockets after the election.

After listening to a political speech, someone nearby quipped that politics is certainly the most promising career. He also questioned as to why candidates for high offices aren't required to undergo physical, emotional and mental tests that would be released in full to the public. Because a sense of humor is essential in the game of politics, the man answered his own question. He said that anyone who can sit on a fence while keeping his ear to the ground and shake your hand while pulling your leg doesn't require a physical exam.

Returning to the more serious aspect of politics, how does the public know if the politicians in Congress or state legislatures are fulfilling the public's best interest, or those representing special interest? That information is easily available, especially when candidates are seeking re-election, or seeking a higher office. Their voting records become more important than impassioned, rehearsed political promises and speeches.

"It is in the politicians' best interest to keep us in the dark. You won't hear them bragging that they voted to protect Big Oil's interests or voted against energy independence," writes Joan Claybrook, Public Citizen president, in its release of the 2008 Congressional Voting Record. Public Citizen is an independent voice that does not take funds from professional organizations, corporations or government agencies, and is widely trusted to represent citizen's interests. It believes that if the public really wants to break the control that special interests have over Congress, it is important to know its voting record on issues that really matter. The Public Citizen Congressional Voting Record is particularly important and valuable, Claybrook writes, because "an informed citizenry is the best antidote to corporate domination of the political process..."

The Public Citizen vote chart represents the recorded facts on how Congress voted on vital issues facing this country - requiring the disclosure of sources and amounts of "bundled" campaign contributions from lobbyists. Which senators sided with Big Oil by voting that they should continue receiving large government subsidies despite huge profits, and that they should not be subjected to a windfall profit tax? While acknowledging that some excellent legislation fails to be endorsed because of the inserted details that are often used to defeat the measure, voting records reveal the substance of an elected figure more than self-aggrandizing rhetoric.

Have you checked the voting record of the presidential candidate of your choice?

Blanche Murtagh is a longtime Portage resident and activist who has had many of her stories published.