Some undecided on whether to vote at all

ERIE, Pa. — Crime drove Philip Harris, 25, to politics, or at least to voting.

Harris did not vote four years ago. He didn’t even bother to register. “I wasn’t into politics. I knew I should vote. I just didn’t get around to ever doing it,” said Harris, a large man who laughs easily and often.

Then in February he was working out at the local YMCA when a thief broke into his locker and stole his wallet. Harris, who does not drive, went to get a replacement identification card. “When I applied, they asked me if I wanted to vote and I said yeah, so they registered me.”

Harris feels lucky to have a job that comes with health benefits. Good jobs are scarce in Erie and getting scarcer. He doesn’t blame President Bush for the bad economy; his toughest days occurred under President Clinton. Besides, Clinton had other problems. “He was supposed to uphold the country. But he lied. If he can lie about that, what else can he lie about?”

Harris is black. His family is solidly Democratic. But he is not. He remains undecided after hearing both Bush and John Kerry, though he allows that he may be leaning toward the Democrat.

Last week he came home to find his grandmother watching Bush on the news. Harris mentioned he hadn’t made up his mind between Bush and Kerry.

“Don’t you do Republican!” she exclaimed. “Boy, you better not be voting Republican. Those Republicans have done nothing for us.”

But he just might “do” Republican, he allowed. “Kerry has some explaining to do, particularly on what he would do on the economy.”

Or he might not vote at all. “Not voting is the last resort. But it’s still an option. A real option.”