Voters hate negative ads
No surprise there (Strib):
Eggenberger, 47, of Shorewood, said he always tries to vote early, but this year he wasn’t necessarily doing so with enthusiasm.
“I’m a little turned off by all the negative ads I’ve seen,” said Eggenberger, an account manager.
(…)
Paul Twedten, 54, of Minnetonka, also got to the polls early because he starts work at Northwest Airlines at 8 a.m., but after entering the polling place, he left before 7, saying “the line is too long. I’m not sure who to vote for. It’s so negative anyway. I’ll come back later”
(…)
Bill Jeska, 54, a landscaper from Minnetonka, said he also usually votes later in the day, but came early because it was the easiest way to coordinate voting with his wife. He said he was also put off by negative ads and refuses to vote strictly by party lines. He said he was voting for Pawlenty for governor and Klobuchar for Senate.
“I’d like to be more enthusiastic, “ he said, “but it’s hard the way everyone’s stabbing one another in the back.”
The article confirms the initial heavy turnout and the closeness of the Governor’s race due to ticket splitters.