Standing on the doorstep on a beautiful autumn day, I fought the urge to laugh out loud as the former teacher assessed a mayoral candidate.

Hand on her hip, she proclaimed that she couldn’t possibly bring herself to vote for a certain person. Why not? Because she had taught him in Grade 1 and found him to be difficult.

Boy, did I ever need my poker face in that moment.

As we get closer to election day on Oct. 26, I have been gathering observations on how people choose whom they will support. They all reflect unconscious biases rather than logical assessments of the candidates and their stances.

Since I’m fascinated by human dynamics, I researched ways your mind can bend to like or dislike a person running for public office. Please consider them as you prepare to cast your ballot.

Affinity — If a person is like you — in........

© Peterborough Examiner