“People want to be told what to do so badly they’ll listen to anyone.” — Don Draper, Mad Men

And thus begins my last political column of the 2012 elections on a topic that raises my ire to no end.

I suppose we’re always going to have to deal with campaigning at polling places but please, for the sake of humanity, let people make up their own minds.

I received a tip the other day something was going on at the early voting polling place at the sanitary district.

Problem is, this always goes on and I decided to ask for one of the sample ballots being handed out in the parking lot.

As I was told and as I figured, the ballot was already marked. President Obama’s oval already filled in and the straight Democratic oval filled in for the rest of the candidates — remember voting straight party does not work for the presidential election because you have to fill that in separately.

Pre-marked for straight party.

To me, giving voters pre-marked sample ballots smacks the intelligence of the voters squarely in the face.

That’s why when I go to vote I keep my hands in my pockets so as not to be subjected to gifts of propaganda after I’ve already made up my mind and studied the issues and candidates.

It’s already bad enough that campaign signs litter the polling places and candidate representatives are ready to pounce on you like the stereotypical used car salesperson.

That’s why I have always tried to live and somewhat preach that the only wasted vote is an uneducated vote.

Feeding pre-marked sample ballots to the unsuspecting and unarmed is not only underhanded to me, it is downright unethical and why I believe some sort of campaign reform needs to happen to keep polling places free of signs and campaigners.

Usually by this time most voters have made up their minds and know what they’re going to do.

However, there are still the gullible, the young, the elderly and the uneducated who will take that pre-marked ballot and vote line by line for what is already mapped out for them.

The problem is, I’m probably not reaching the ones that need to hear this most. For as many readers as this website has now, there are still people who have not connected for one reason or the other and probably never will.

There are people who need to be told how to do everything and I think it is a travesty there are people like that and believe it is even more of a travesty there are people who prey on people like that.

That’s why I’m asking the readers of this website to help those who may not understand the issues or are still undecided. I’m not asking you to beat them over the head with your ideology because by doing that you’re no better than the ones handing out pre-marked ballots.

If you are schooled on all the candidates, as objectively as you can explain all the options and that includes the Libertarians and the fact they can write candidates in. Explain the issues that are at stake and what each candidate believes on the issues. It should be your duty to be as objective as you can and if they ask whom you are voting for then tell them why.

It’s unfortunate there are people who don’t care to vote but that is their right as Americans not to participate.

The greater misfortune is there are people who believe anything told to them and want to be told what to do and the even greater misfortune is there are people willing to take advantage of those people and do exactly that — Lance Martin

Lance Martin is editor and publisher of rrspin.com