Voting for third-party candidates

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PtldPlatypus

PtldPlatypus

Let's go Baby Blazers!
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Many of us self-identify as something other than Democrat or Republican, but how often do you actually vote for third party candidates?

In the "What are you registered as" thread, I relayed how I upset my wife back in 2008 by voting for a Constitution Party candidate in a Senate race, effectively "throwing away" my vote on a guy who couldn't win, and not voting for the viable candidate that I preferred.

So how about you--if there's a third-party candidate that you like better than either of the R/D options, do you vote for him/her, or do you cast your lot with the "lesser of two evils" crowd?
 
As a general rule I try and cast a vote for someone who has a prayer's chance of actually getting elected so that my vote actually counts. I think I have deviated from this only a few times when I was adamant that neither the democrat or republican was worthy of holding the office.

Now, that said, were I a member of a third party and really believed in both the party platform and the candidate then I would probably vote for them.
 
Nearly always. I usually vote Socialist Workers, sometimes Green. I have supported very rare Democratic candidates. I will be voting for a county supervisor who helped me out with an issue I had. He did his job as my rep so he gets my vote.

I am registered independent.

I nearly always vote on initiatives.

I have been accused of wasting my votes. I agree with Eugene Debs, "It is better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it."
 
The strategy of "hey, this parties guy screwed us so lets vote the other party" does not work either. I voted Gary Johnson in hopes of getting a third party into debates and on ballots. Until that happens, you will have two political parties out of control that stay in business by keeping political hotbutton issues alive.
 
Charcoal Filtered said:
The strategy of "hey, this parties guy screwed us so lets vote the other party" does not work either. I voted Gary Johnson in hopes of getting a third party into debates and on ballots. Until that happens, you will have two political parties out of control that stay in business by keeping political hotbutton issues alive.
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When third party candidates and parties become good enough to be relevant, I am sure they will get the opportunities to do such things.
 
Gary Johnson was a fully qualified candidate. Former (and successful) governor of New Mexico.

I would not vote for the candidates crandc does, but I agree it's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for something you don't want and get it.

No such thing as wasting a vote. If everyone voted their conscience, maybe Johnson would have won. Or maybe Mike Badnarik would have won in 2004.

People whined about the wars but voted for W who started it, or Kerry who wanted to escalate it.

You got what you voted for, but didn't want.
 
The first presidential election I could vote for was in 2004. I voted green party. Never again.
 
Actually there is such a thing as a wasted vote.
 
I think being part of political party is a necessary evil. There are plenty of Republican's with liberal views, and plenty of Democrats that have conservative views but all of them still vote down part lines 99% of the time. If there wasn't R's and D's attached to candidates perhaps they would get something meaningful done.
 
I've often thought that we should be able to vote for all candidates in preference order. Then computerize the votes, and eliminate one candidate at a time until one has a majority. If your first choice gets eliminated, then your vote goes to your next choice. That way everyone could vote for the candidate they really want, but also have their vote "count" if the first guy they voted for is only marginal.
 
PtldPlatypus said:
I've often thought that we should be able to vote for all candidates in preference order. Then computerize the votes, and eliminate one candidate at a time until one has a majority. If your first choice gets eliminated, then your vote goes to your next choice. That way everyone could vote for the candidate they really want, but also have their vote "count" if the first guy they voted for is only marginal.
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Ranked voting has been tried. But it is not so good. In the Oakland mayor's race the winner got very few first place votes but a ton of second and third so ended up winning, although few had her as first choice.
 
crandc said:
Ranked voting has been tried. But it is not so good. In the Oakland mayor's race the winner got very few first place votes but a ton of second and third so ended up winning, although few had her as first choice.
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Why is that a bad thing? Instead of the person who is the favorite of the minority, but possibly despised by as many if not more, you get a person who is acceptable to the majority. Thus it's better for candidates to create a broad appeal than to be polarizing. That seems like a good result to me.
 
Yeah, I have voted for a third party candidate when I can't bring myself to vote for the Republican. The last time I voted for a Democrat was
JFK. I just could never vote for Nixion. Voting for JFK turned out bad though because that turned into Johnson. Damn!
 
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PtldPlatypus said:
Why is that a bad thing? Instead of the person who is the favorite of the minority, but possibly despised by as many if not more, you get a person who is acceptable to the majority. Thus it's better for candidates to create a broad appeal than to be polarizing. That seems like a good result to me.
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That's basically where Romney came from. He was always second place in the run up to the election.
 
Platypus, a lot of folks in Oakland were unhappy, that's all I can say.
 
BLAZER PROPHET said:
When third party candidates and parties become good enough to be relevant, I am sure they will get the opportunities to do such things.
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So you really think the two parties that have created the problem are going to fix them? How many times do you get fooled before you look at alternatives?
 
BLAZER PROPHET said:
As a general rule I try and cast a vote for someone who has a prayer's chance of actually getting elected so that my vote actually counts. I think I have deviated from this only a few times when I was adamant that neither the democrat or republican was worthy of holding the office.

Now, that said, were I a member of a third party and really believed in both the party platform and the candidate then I would probably vote for them.
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So the individual who loves to sit here and call everyone else sheep just follows the herd and votes mainly so their vote can count, instead of a vote you might truly believe in. LOL


I've always voted for who I like, and who I'd like to see win. I like crandc's quote about it being better to vote for what you want....
 
If you keep voting for the lesser of two evils that is all you're ever going to get.
 
RR7 said:
So the individual who loves to sit here and call everyone else sheep just follows the herd and votes mainly so their vote can count, instead of a vote you might truly believe in. LOL


I've always voted for who I like, and who I'd like to see win. I like crandc's quote about it being better to vote for what you want....
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While I admire Crandc for voting for her party, I am not tied to one and I make no apologies. I vote for a candidate who has a chance of winning and will do the best job, IMHO. Perhaps that is worthy of scorn, but it works for me.

Beats being a sheep.
 
Baracuda said:
If you keep voting for the lesser of two evils that is all you're ever going to get.
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That is a very fair point to make. However, I have rarely seen a third party candidate who is a better choice in my opinion.
.
 
BLAZER PROPHET said:
While I admire Crandc for voting for her party, I am not tied to one and I make no apologies. I vote for a candidate who has a chance of winning and will do the best job, IMHO. Perhaps that is worthy of scorn, but it works for me.

Beats being a sheep.
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It is being a sheep, though. Follow one of the big parties. Baaaaa
 
crandc said:
Platypus, a lot of folks in Oakland were unhappy, that's all I can say.
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A number of years ago, I spent about a month and half in the boatyard in San Leandro finishing out a yacht I was about to launch. While I was there a truck delivered this big black Ketch with the name El Negro Grande painted on the stern. A couple day later the yard boat lift hauled this boat over to the launching pier with this fellow sitting on deck wearing a Leopard skin cape looking in ever respect like Shaka with a New Orleans band accompanying him to the christening.

I muttered out as they passed, "Holy Shit! Who is that?". The fellow with the boat next to mine responded, "That's the SnowMan!". Apparently everyone knew him.

I would be upset too if I lived in Oakland.
 
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