How will you vote?

Paranitis · Post by **Paranitis** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:17 pm

I am just trying to see how many people vote just based on political party (like my mom).

If you are democrat do you only vote for democrats?
If you are republican do you only vote for republicans?
etc.

Personally I am registered as a democrat, yet I voted for Arnold Schwarzeneggar (who is republican) for governor of California.

When I say Democrat/Republican..you can be independant, green, or the others..but which one would you be MORE of out of these 2 if you had to be.

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:38 am

I'm writing in my pick, which is none of the people running. So I guess my option would be the last one, (at least from some peoples view) none of the above.

I vote based on the person, not the party. The only time I would vote on a party would be to swing Congress in favor of the party not serving as President. Too much power in the hands of the few when one party gains control of both.

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:43 am

I'm definitely voting for Kerry, and that's my final answer for a million dollars.

Vicsun · Post by **Vicsun** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:51 am

I'm not voting because American law forbids me to do so.

asurademon · Post by **asurademon** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 2:51 am

none of the above, I'm voted for Kerry, but don't belong to any party.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 3:44 am

I have to go with Vicsun, damn american law!

And if i was allowed to vote for the American President, id probally wouldnt cause i have absolutely no idea how Bush is doing. (Has he created just just a big mess inside as outside the country?) Or kerry's views on internal politics. Here in the Netherlands you only see some of the international points.

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 3:46 am

None of the above - how about an independent/other category voting for one of the main candidates?

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:07 am

I'm not voting, and never have. Plain statement of fact: I don't believe in the US winner-take-all system; and if I vote in it, I will be giving tacit approval to it. Also, my vote will be counted in the statistics of how many people actually did vote. The "right to vote" is only as good, IMO, as the system itself.

Paranitis · Post by **Paranitis** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:30 am

I was gonna add like 40 choices..but thought it would take up too much space.

It would have included every party with a choice for every other party.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:23 am

[QUOTE=fable]I'm not voting, and never have. Plain statement of fact: I don't believe in the US winner-take-all system; and if I vote in it, I will be giving tacit approval to it. Also, my vote will be counted in the statistics of how many people actually did vote. The "right to vote" is only as good, IMO, as the system itself.[/QUOTE]
Here you can vote blank, to state that you where willing to vote, but didnt agree with both candidates etc.
Isnt that an option then?

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:44 am

[QUOTE=Stilgar]Here you can vote blank, to state that you where willing to vote, but didnt agree with both candidates etc.
Isnt that an option then?[/QUOTE]

If by here you mean in this poll, then yes, I did already vote.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 10:00 am

He means here as in country - which also goes for Denmark.
I doubt any (modern, democratic) country could have a legislation against voting blank.

I've never understood people that didn't vote. If I don't agree with the canditates (parties) I do as Stilgar suggested and voted blank.
That at least shows that you have interest in the political process.
By simply abstaining from voting one can't be differentiated from the lazy people that just sit in their couch.

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 10:23 am

You can certainly vote blank, but it's counted as a vote by the pollsters and therefore as belief in the political process. As I remarked above, I strongly disbelieve in it. If I could cast a vote that would be understand as being against the whole system, I would, but there's nothing like that--deliberately so, I suspect, given the general disgust in the US with national politics, parties, and their candidates.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 11:01 am

One can support the political process withouth supporting the current system, meaning that one can support voting, but not the electory system (I think it is called, which I'd guess is one of the beefs with the system?)
By casting a vote - even blank - you signal an interest in the democratic process. You signal a protest, which can cover many things depending on who read the results, but at least you signal it.

By not voting you are grouped with people to lazy to get their but of the couch to actually think about what goes on around them.

I know which one I prefere personally, regardless of motives for not wanting to support any singular politician or party.

Paranitis · Post by **Paranitis** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 12:15 pm

The whole Electoral College is stupid. Plain and simple, it should be based 100% off the popular vote..because that truly tells what the PEOPLE want, not just some shmucks in higher offices guessing what you really want.

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 12:50 pm

[QUOTE=Xandax]By casting a vote - even blank - you signal an interest in the democratic process. You signal a protest, which can cover many things depending on who read the results, but at least you signal it.[/quote]

Since the "blank" votes are nver stated by any polling agency or in any electoral result, who gets to know it? The only figures that are ever stated are those of the people who vote for the various candidates, and those who don't. You're welcome to check the history of polling in US presidential elections on this point to see if I'm wrong, if you'd like. If I'm going to signal anything, it's going to have to be done the only way that disgust can be registered when the news reports the results: by no vote at all, IMO.

Feel free to become a US citizen, live in the system for several dozen years, watch how politicians advance and win elections--then make your decision on what to do. And pass along advice.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 11:30 pm

[QUOTE=fable]<snip>
Feel free to become a US citizen, live in the system for several dozen years, watch how politicians advance and win elections--then make your decision on what to do. And pass along advice.

[/QUOTE]

I don't need to be a US citizen for that.
Media coverage of the US electionprocess is rather indepth, so it is much easier to find information about that - then you of the Danish system for instance. And I doubt my stance would change if I magically became a US citizen.

As a participant of the democratic process - as democratic as the country allowes - I'd always opt to not be grouped with the lazy "couchvoters", regardless of belif system. You're vote might not be counted, it might not be registred or what not, but still - you do something.
The opinnion you have formed is wasted when you do - nothing - regardless of system and me being US citizen or not.
I strongly hope that you somehow else is political involved so you try to change the things you dislike so much when you opt not to vote, otherwise it seems as if you set yourself completely outside the system and then complain about it.

And I find the notion that I need to be a US citizen to pass my advice along about voting to be rather trivial and condesending at the core.

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