People use a variety of criteria when placing their votes. Some people vote straight-ticket for the party of their choice, a practice that I once despised until I realized how party-loyal and homogenous most Washington politicians seem to be. Some people vote for a particular candidate who somehow attracted their interest. Some people vote against a particular candidate who somehow ticked them off. Some people vote against the incumbent, regardless of who he/she is.

For some, the choice hinges on a single issue. They vote for whichever candidate matches their view most closely on that issue. One of my relatives used abortion as her issue. She voted for whoever was more anti-choice, hoping that somehow that candidate would be able to restrict abortion access. In the 2004 and 2008 presidential races, I voted for the candidates that promised to end the Iraq war faster. In the 2010 governor’s race, I voted for the candidate that supported green energy more than fossil fuels. As people’s interests, views, and needs change, different issues might be top priority at different times. Also, some people tend not to vote unless they get worked up about a hot-button issue for a particular election. For example, I normally have zero interest in city politics, much to my dad’s chagrin. But when the city of Irving held an election on alcohol sales, I suddenly cared enough to vote in a city election.

In this year’s elections, I imagine some people have a top priority issue that will decide their vote. Jobs and the economy? The national debt? The military? The environment? Immigration?

For me, I think the deciding factor will be foreign wars, just like in the previous two elections. I plan to vote for whoever is less of a warmonger. I am weary of war. I am weary of seeing our brave men and women in uniform sent to the other side of the world to solve problems that cannot be solved. While some wars might be just (such as World War II), the ones we fight now in the Middle East waste lives, money, energy, and time and only make our enemies resent us more. The only upside I see is the jobs they provide to the military-industrial complex back home. I would much rather see many of those great minds redirected toward productive fields like medicine, space, infrastructure development, and more that will make life better for the people of our nation.

What about you? What single issue is most important to you right now? I added a new poll in the sidebar. Please vote. If you’d like, tell us about your choice in the comments.