There is nothing that can turn up the heat in an election season like a bad economy, especially since so many people in government have for so long claimed the ability to improve economic conditions.

When economic activity slumps into a recession followed by such slow growth that it is almost imperceptible, voters tend to consider the need for change.

Then things get interesting, as the partisan political campaigns put forth competing views of the causes of our troubles — often pointing to those in office as the reason, rather than any particular policies.

And, when partisan adversaries do talk about policies, they often seem to have completely different beliefs about the facts.

Now that voters have their ballots, we can wonder how many will wait until election day to cast their votes.

Have many people already tuned out the campaign noise and made up their minds? If so, look for lots of early ballot submissions.

Even if most people postpone their decisions until the last day, predicting the outcome in this chaotic campaign season would be harder than reading tea leaves in the dark.

The hottest partisan campaign in the county may be the one for election as county commissioner.

Four years ago, Josh Brown was elected despite his lack of experience; and now he faces a challenge from Abby Burlingame — a newcomer.

If you want to see differing views of the facts, just examine what each of these two candidates and their supporters claim.

Candidates wishing to represent South Kitsap in the state Legislature present a somewhat confusing situation, since the incumbent Democrats tend to be more conservative than most others in their party.

Their Republican opponents give every appearance of being yet more conservative, so that voters can choose from a political spectrum that is missing the part usually labeled “liberal.”

The one Republican incumbent legislator faces a challenger who seems to be on the liberal side of the spectrum, so one race does offer the more typical left versus right choice.

Mix in the apparent desire of some voters simply to oust any incumbent, and you have a situation in which the outcome of the several races could present no clear picture of what the majority really wanted done by the winners.

Then turn to the ballot measures for some more conflicting choices at both the state and local level.

Do you want to repeal the legislature’s recent tax increase? It’s on the ballot.

How about raising taxes by a little bit to pay for new libraries in Silverdale, Kingston and perhaps Port Orchard between now and 2020? It’s there, too.

What about an income tax that would, at least in the beginning, only affect the people who earn more than roughly 98 percent of the state’s residents?

If you think perhaps eliminating the state’s monopoly on liquor sales is a good idea, you have two ballot measures that conflict with each other. Do you pick one, both, or neither?

Do you think maybe it’s a good idea to raise the state’s debt limit so projects promising energy efficiency in public buildings can be funded with borrowed money?

Notice how many of the ballot measures and candidates’ campaigns center on the question of what to do about the economy and its effect on government revenue and economic opportunities in the private sector.

A bad economy not only turns up the emotional heat, it also seems to become the central issue in the election.

It isn’t hard to believe that most voters have one thing uppermost in their minds — how the outcome affects their own budgets and the government’s ability to do whatever they each believe is necessary.

Maybe this is a good thing, since voter apathy ought to be in short supply this year.

When voters pay more attention and speak their minds via the ballot, the result may not cure all ills, but it can surely shake up the status quo.

Bob Meadows is a Port Orchard resident.