Vote on Jan. 29 -- the mailers start

I've been reading these emails on the Florida Netroots group complaining about lack of guidance on how to vote on Jan. 29, the primary and all. I've got to agree. Of course we can each decide on the right person to be the presidential nominee, but then there are the property tax measure and -- for us in Miami-Dade County -- a referendum on gambling. Maybe people in other counties have local measures, too. What are we supposed to say?

Clang -- the day that mails started up after Thanksgiving, advice poured into my mailbox, thanks to an outfit called "Vote Yes! For A Greater Miami-Dade."

Vote Yes for Job Creation.

Vote Yes for more School Funding.

So it trumpeted. Of course, the Yes is actually for "limited slot machines at our existing horse track, dog track and jai alai fronton in Miami=Dade County."

The double-sized mailer also has two mail-in forms to request absentee ballots for me and ... my neighbor, I guess.

And there's a website http://www.agreatermiamidade.com/ with nothing there as of Nov. 26. How am I supposed to weigh this advice?

There is a tremendous stack of campaign mailers on my dining table from the Nov. 6 municipal election and Nov. 20 runoff -- probably 80 pieces of mail for Miami Beach mayor and three commission seats. Just think how much mail there would be if our presidential contenders were campaigning in Florida. But wait -- they have sent a lot of mail, too. Guess I chucked it all.

This is one of the odd things about voting. Mind made up early and firmly on the presidential choice. It took longer on the local races where I actually saw the candidates and asked questions.