Philadelphians who don't care at all about the mayor's race are the most cohesive group of city residents.

The issue of school vouchers doesn't divide them. They aren't split over whether we should build a downtown stadium. They never stand around arguing over how to reduce taxes.

They just stick together, not caring. Not at all.

More than half of the shoppers and commuters who were polled at 52nd and Market streets yesterday were of the I-don't-care variety.

Although only one woman - Roberta Wilson - admitted that she isn't going to vote, it appeared doubtful that the rest of the disinterested would drag themselves to the polls Nov. 2.

It was difficult yesterday to ascertain why these Philadelphians don't care because most of them didn't care enough to talk about it.

One woman, though, offered her take on why mayoral politics is so "boring."

"I just didn't get into it," said Bydeia Epps. "I don't know. They're not talking about stuff I like, like parties of underage kids in the neighborhood, more police."

But just when you think no one in the city gives a damn, along come voters like Rahman Bey, James Stewart, John Dix and, especially, Alfred Hazly.

These guys care.

Bey, who works for the Philadelphia Housing Authority, is most concerned that the next mayor is a Democrat, because a Republican is likely to downsize, he said.

Stewart said he was happy with the job Ed Rendell has done as mayor, so he figures that Street will do a good job as well because, "everything Mayor Rendell did John Street did with him."

John Dix is so fed up he just wants somebody, somewhere, to finally live up to just one campaign promise.

"Somebody, whoever wins, do something," Dix said.

Hazly, the most thoughtful voter interviewed at 52nd and Market yesterday, said the campaign issue that hits home with him is fixing the city's public schools. Tax dollars are not being spent wisely. We're not getting a fair shake - or, in fact, any shake - from Harrisburg, and test scores are not the best measure of what's being learned, he said.

Hazly is still undecided about his vote, but he is leaning toward a candidate. He wouldn't divulge his leaning.

He was more than willing to offer an opinion on why many of his neighbors just don't care about the election.

"A lot of people are living on the razor's edge, living paycheck-to-paycheck," he said. "If you're having a hard time feeding that family, that's all that's on your mind."