Tuesday is election day and with that comes the end of a long campaign trail at the local, state and national levels that was difficult to ignore.

With the big day quickly approaching, the Redmond Reporter spoke with four Redmond residents — two who have yet to vote in their first election and two who have voted in more than a few — about their thoughts on a number of issues concerning the country and the state.

Here is what they had to say:

• Michael Pavlov, age 17, senior at Redmond High School and currently enrolled in Advanced Placement Government
• Grace Lindsey, age 17, senior at Redmond High School and currently enrolled in Advanced Placement Government
• Martin Berndt, age 71, retired Navy jet mechanic
• Sally Woolverton, age 70, retired from a career in the medical field

What do you think is the biggest issue the country has to deal with?

Pavlov: “What impacts me the most is education.” He added that the economy is another concern and he would like to see it stable enough to make higher education affordable for students and allow them to enter the workforce productively once they leave school.

Lindsey: She said the biggest issue right now is the economy and job creation and their roles in education, explaining how her two older siblings have already left college, but still struggle with paying off their debt and how there are others who have a full education but cannot find work. “When I listen to a candidate’s policies, I want to hear how I will be helped,” she said. “I want to know that I won’t be a burden on my parents, that there’s aid out there for me.”

Berndt: “I think the economy is coming back,” he said. “I’m afraid if a Republican gets elected, it may go backwards again.” He said he is “scared to death” that if Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is elected and cuts off the Chinese — as he said he will — the Chinese will want to collect the debt the United States owes them. “Financially, (the Chinese) can ruin us,” he said.

Woolverton: “Jobs is a big one.” She added that she would also like to see people become more independent and self-reliant.

What are your thoughts on the presidential race?

Pavlov: He said on a national level, party politics have become more about outspending each other than addressing the issue. “Presentability and theatrics are taking priority,” he said. “But I think they shouldn’t.”

Lindsey: “It’s ‘sound bite’ politics,” she said. She said she — like many young people — gets her news and information online, but things are very skewed and they don’t tell the whole story.

Berndt: “All that money (spent on ads and campaigning) can be used to contribute to the country…I think it’s a waste of money,” he said. He said the problem with candidates accepting large donations from large groups or corporations is that if they are elected, those groups and corporations are going to want something in return. “They want payback.”

Woolverton: “I want it over,” she said about the length of the campaign. “I’m totally tired of it.” She added that she feels the race has been so negative and the country is so divided right now and prays the outcome of the election will give the country a chance to come back from that.

What are your thoughts on the presidential candidates?

Pavlov: He said he thinks the candidates represent their respective parties well and do a good enough job to be electable, but he can’t say if this is the best for the country. “They are selected based on their electability,” he said. “(President Barack Obama) is photogenic and that is important.”

Lindsey: She said she considers herself a moderate and agrees with policies put forth by both candidates. However, she said there are many websites that lean heavily toward one party or the other, which can skew people’s views. “I feel like there’s so much bias,” she said. “There’s so much fog.”

Berndt: “I think Obama pulled our butt out of the (economic) hole,” he said. “Romney brought up a lot of stuff that he can’t back.”

Woolverton: “I love Romney,” she said. “I just feel he’s been given a bad rap.” She said she believes Romney can turn the country around — though, not overnight — and put the country “back on track” and preserve the environment. She said she believes Obama means well but his ideas of taking money from the rich to give to the poor is what is dividing the country.

What are some qualities you think Washington’s governor should have?

Pavlov: He said the governor should be able to represent the people and protect their interests.

Lindsey: She said with how divided Washington is, “a fairly moderate standpoint is crucial…you need to represent everyone.”

Berndt: “They’ve got to improve our schools because what we’re producing in our schools is how our country’s going to go,” he said. “If we’re producing a bunch of dummies, that’s how our country’s going to go, downhill.”

Woolverton: “The governor should (have) leadership,” she said, adding that they should be able to work with “both sides of the aisle” and not be so gridlocked with their decisions. “It’s almost like a marriage. You compromise,” she said.

What are your thoughts on Referendum 74 (a measure that would make same-sex marriage legal in Washington)?

Pavlov: “I support equality of marriage and I support equal rights,” he said. However, he said he doesn’t believe it should be within the government’s ability to involve itself in a private matter. “These are private choices by private citizens.”

Lindsey: “I’m fairly moderate on the issue,” she said. “I’m in favor of marriage for all.” She added that she thinks this should be decided on a state level, not the federal government.

Berndt: He said he thinks the institution of marriage should be kept as it is. “(Same-sex couples) can have all the rights,” he said. “(But) I don’t think we should have to give up our institution.”

Woolverton: “I just can’t validate it,” she said. “Yet, I have it in my own family…I just feel it confuses children.”

How important is it for young people to vote?

Pavlov: “I think it’s very important because politics…it affects everyone in the country,” he said. He added that campaigns are targeted toward those who vote. Young people don’t vote because they are not targeted and are not targeted because they don’t vote. “It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Lindsey: “I think it’s crucial,” she said. “I think the lack of participation is disappointing…Is it just going to go downhill from here?” She said many in her generation think politicians don’t care about them, which is not true. “Government impacts us more than we realize,” she said.

Berndt: “Very important, I mean, it’s their country,” he said, adding that young people are just as responsible in the country’s future as senior citizens are.

Woolverton: “Probably more so than anybody,” she said, adding that young people are the next generation to come.