Lets Talk Election Voting...

[ct]

When voting in the presidential election do you ever vote for the green party or other party candidate? Or do you stick with the democratic vote figuring a vote for anyone else is really a vote for the republicans?

And yes, this is assuming not many, if any, of us are republicans, but if you are, please feel free to insert your thoughts on this discussion as well.

[ct]

Andrea's cousin and I get in this debate all the time. To date I've always voted for the democratic candidate and I will be voting for Obama this fall. But, the truth is, the democratic candidate is not necessarily the one that most closely aligns with my values. The system being what is it, a member from a different party will not win and I cant help but feel as though i'm throwing away my vote, or worse, giving it to the other side.

Of course I wish we had a more legitimate muli party system in our country and in order to express that, its important to make that statement with my vote. But shit, Romney scares me.

[hensmum]

Aug 21, 2012 7:31:21 GMT -5 ct said:

To date I've always voted for the democratic candidate and I will be voting for Obama this fall. But, the truth is, the democratic candidate is not necessarily the one that most closely aligns with my values. The system being what is it, a member from a different party will not win and I cant help but feel as though i'm throwing away my vote, or worse, giving it to the other side.

Of course I wish we had a more legitimate muli party system in our country and in order to express that, its important to make that statement with my vote. But shit, Romney scares me.

This is 100% how I feel as well. There's too much at stake for me to not vote for Obama.

[tattooedmeegs]

Ditto you E. 100%.

[llama]

I have only ever voted for President while living in Massachusetts, so I do feel that I have a bit more wiggle-room than the average voter in voting for a 3rd party candidate. The electoral college means that realistically my individual vote does not make a huge difference and I think my individual vote probably makes a bigger statement by voting 3rd party and lending my voice to making the percentage of 3rd party votes large enough to make a statement about how mediocre the 2-party system is.

I voted for Obama in 08 because I was somewhat more excited about his candidacy than I usually get about Democrats and because I didn't like the Green Party candidate very much in 08. This election I really really like the Green Party candidate and I'm pretty disenchanted with Obama and with Democrats overall right now. I absolutely vote for individual Democrats when their positions more closely match my own or when races are close.

I think the argument about giving the vote to the other side doesn't make sense unless you live in a swing state. To be honest I get a little bit sick of all the ragging on liberal 3rd party voters for "handing the election" to Bush in 2000. You know who is responsible for electing conservative candidates? The conservatives who vote for them. The Democratic party will NEVER change and become more liberal (which to me, solidly left of the Democratic party, is very important) if they automatically get the votes of liberals by taking moderate positions. I guess it could be considered a risk in the short-term, but in the long-term it will make for a healthier Democracy in which the opinions of constituents actually matter for the purposes of party positions. For example, LGBT activists get all sorts of flack for pushing the Obama administration on LGBT rights and criticizing him for positions (like marriage) that were inconsistent with party values. BECAUSE of those people he made a public change in his position on marriage. BECAUSE of those people the party is considering adding more robust support of LGBT rights to the party platform at this convention. These things don't just happen like *poof.* They happen because people take a stand and make a fuss, and I think one legitimate way to do that is to refuse to vote for politicians who are weak on issues you really care about.

To clarify, I don't care at all what other people do and I have respect for whatever choices people make that they can live with. What I do have a problem with is a disingenuous (misinformed?) attitude about 3rd party voters that stalls progress in the system we have. Not saying that anyone here has ever done that but as the election draws closer it's become a constant refrain in my life.

[twotrue]

When I lived in California (well, and really NY too) a vote for a 3rd party was in my mind NBD since the state wasn't at risk for going red. If Iwere in a swing state I would never consider 3rd party because in swing states we all know that every vote counts (hanging chads and all).

And I get that the 3rd parties don't have a chance but they will continue to never have a chance if people keep thinking this way. It's sorta the "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" Do people need to start voting for them for things to change? And if people do, and elections don't go the way we want (because of a 3rd party spliting votes) are we willing to accept that in the short term for the long term goal of legitimizing a 3rd party? Idk.

[cymru]

I feel it is never about voting "for" someone anymore as much as it is voting in opposition of the person who I see as a threat to my family.

I wish I could find a canidate I could really get behind... but I feel like I was "with" Obama in the last election and got a burned.

But that being said... even if I found the perfect third party canidate, i would be afraid to cast my vote that way if I felt that the vote could be close between someone more likely to win and someone I would be afraid of running this country.

[ct]

Aug 21, 2012 9:24:18 GMT -5 llama said:

I think the argument about giving the vote to the other side doesn't make sense unless you live in a swing state. To be honest I get a little bit sick of all the ragging on liberal 3rd party voters for "handing the election" to Bush in 2000. You know who is responsible for electing conservative candidates? The conservatives who vote for them.

I'm with you on this - certainly the state in which you are voting makes a big difference.

[clickerish]

Ideally, I would love to vote third party--and do in local elections where it sometimes works out. Realistically, while I am left of the Democratic party on social issues, I also live in a state that is occasionally swing in presidential and often in gubernatorial--so I always vote on party lines for the big ones. Moderate though he is, Obama is a lot more likely as president to give me the rights I desperately want than any third party that will not land in office.

[ElsaVonM]

Not for president. But I do support third-party candidates in local elections when I feel like they are qualified. In this state you don't actually have to identify a political party, even for the primary, so you have to look at their experience and views instead. (The top two vote-getters in the primary face off in the general election, even if they are from the same party.) It's a weird system. I like it.

[quinny]

I have voted for green party but this year it's too big. Massachusetts, forever the blue state, just replaced a KENNEDY with Scott brown (republican) so I don't trust my state anymore. I will be voting for Obama, for sure. This post might surprise some of you, who I am FB friends with. I am sure I come off an a staunch Obama supporter but truth is, I have a few impressionable votes in my friends and family and I don't want for them to think there are other options. I've already gotten one vote changed, by talking about gay rights.

I received this text fm my brothers girlfriend last week, she was super anti obama.

I just want you to know that I am honestly not much into politics AT ALL. In fact I try to avoid it like the plague.. But after seeing your status i
Did some research and reading on these guys and I am truelly sickened. Idk much about what they are talking about all i hear is hate hate hate and it makes me sick. And as much as i didn't think i
Liked Obama I believe he is the better fit at this point for the sake of human rights!!! I will vote this yr to try and help make sure the right things happen!! I love you 3 and no one should be able to tell you that your family is any different than mine. Bc it's not!!!!! Sry if I sound like an idiot like I said I try to avoid politics but i like to think I do know whats right and wrong!

[hensmum]

Aug 21, 2012 11:27:39 GMT -5 quinny said:

I have voted for green party but this year it's too big. Massachusetts, forever the blue state, just replaced a KENNEDY with Scott brown (republican) so I don't trust my state anymore. I will be voting for Obama, for sure. This post might surprise some of you, who I am FB friends with. I am sure I come off an a staunch Obama supporter but truth is, I have a few impressionable votes in my friends and family and I don't want for them to think there are other options. I've already gotten one vote changed, by talking about gay rights.

I received this text fm my brothers girlfriend last week, she was super anti obama.

I just want you to know that I am honestly not much into politics AT ALL. In fact I try to avoid it like the plague.. But after seeing your status i
Did some research and reading on these guys and I am truelly sickened. Idk much about what they are talking about all i hear is hate hate hate and it makes me sick. And as much as i didn't think i
Liked Obama I believe he is the better fit at this point for the sake of human rights!!! I will vote this yr to try and help make sure the right things happen!! I love you 3 and no one should be able to tell you that your family is any different than mine. Bc it's not!!!!! Sry if I sound like an idiot like I said I try to avoid politics but i like to think I do know whats right and wrong!

That is awesome! Way to go There are certainly some things about Obama that I'm not crazy about. But on FB? Where some of my republican and middle of the road family members and acquaintances are? I will never speak ill of him, hahaha. I too am on a war path to gain him as many undecideds as I can. If I could get my mom to vote him in Nov, I'd die happy, lol.

[joyseattle]

I agree that location plays a large role as well. I've always voted Democratic for presidential elections and then based on individual issues for other offices. Since 1988 Washington has gone Democratic, but we do have a closer margin than some states. It feels too risky to me to vote third party, but I have friends that do and support their decisions. I'm starting to get worried about both the presidential and gubernatorial elections (I do this every major election season), and most likely will be until after the election.

[kershnic]

I actually really like Obama. I don't agree with everything he says or does, but I also accept that becoming president involves a lot of compromise and giving in to special interests and all that comes with it. I appreciate the role that 3rd parties play in shaping the two major parties and I certainly think the country benefits from encouraging the major parties and candidates to continue to evaluate new facts and adapt to a changing society. But I've never found a 3rd party candidate I was really that much more excited to vote for than a Democrat. Also, up until this year I've always voted in MN (sketchy, but oh well) which is blue but not nearly so solidly blue as CT or MA or CA.

[2brides]

off topic - but does anyone else watch Newsroom on HBO? Anyone see Sunday night's episode? I want a debate like that one!! Real questions and pressured to give real answers.

[hlke]

Fun fact: I did not vote in the 2000 presidential election even though I was old enough. I was abroad and registered to vote in Massachusetts, so I didn't see a point.

I've never supported a third party candidate, but I won't rule it out in a local election. I'm actually a pretty moderate Democrat, or at least I feel that way in the circles I run in. I don't support everything Obama has done, but I'm pretty happy with him as president. I'm also very happy with his cabinet picks, and not so happy he hasn't appointed judges more aggressively.