Do you vote 3rd party?

[Tangent]

I'm curious to see how people vote. Do you vote based on party lines or which candidate of any party you like? If you like a 3rd party candidate do you vote for them or do you cast your vote for a major party candidate you think has a better chance of winning?

 

[hakr100]

In my part of the country, the third party candidates tend to be right-wing crazies...we had one a few years ago running under the "constitution" party banner, and wanted to make jesus officially part of our everyday life. Uh...no thanks.

We also have had so-called libertarians running from time to time. There's apparently going to be some competition between the republicans and some third partyers for the congressional seat now held by a democrat who really is in no jeopardy. The righties are outdoing themselves to see who can appear more rightie.

I have the feeling my congressional district isn't interested in third party candidates.

 

[TheBeardedMann]

No! 3rd party candidates just ensure the democrats win unfortunately.

 

[dpizzo]

In my part of the country, the third party candidates tend to be right-wing crazies...we had one a few years ago running under the "constitution" party banner, and wanted to make jesus officially part of our everyday life. Uh...no thanks.

We also have had so-called libertarians running from time to time. There's apparently going to be some competition between the republicans and some third partyers for the congressional seat now held by a democrat who really is in no jeopardy. The righties are outdoing themselves to see who can appear more rightie.

I have the feeling my congressional district isn't interested in third party candidates.

What is a "so-called libertarian"?

 

[ddoolin]

What is a "so-called libertarian"?

Kinda the same way Ron Paul is a "so-called Republican." He's not REALLY a Republican, but for some reason runs on the ticket. Probably to gain traction and attention.

 

[Crude]

I realize that voting 3rd party is considered throwing away your vote, but in the last election we had 2 morons and a 3rd party for choices. My vote was garbage one way or the other. Iowa's Governor elections are shaping up the same way both candidates should not be elected, so we are going to get the bad guy no matter what. Iowa seems to be as corrupt as cook county IL these days.

 

[dpizzo]

Kinda the same way Ron Paul is a "so-called Republican." He's not REALLY a Republican, but for some reason runs on the ticket. Probably to gain traction and attention.

Actually he is a Republican. He's old right, whatever you want to call it. The problem is the Republican party has been overrun with neo-cons, who aren't very conservative.

 

[dpizzo]

I realize that voting 3rd party is considered throwing away your vote, but in the last election we had 2 morons and a 3rd party for choices. My vote was garbage one way or the other. Iowa's Governor elections are shaping up the same way both candidates should not be elected, so we are going to get the bad guy no matter what. Iowa seems to be as corrupt as cook county IL these days.

Crook county is pretty damn bad. I don't consider voting 3rd party a wasted vote. Think of what people have gone through in the past to attain the right to vote. To throw a vote away on someone who isn't as big a scumbag as the other guy on the ticket is the wasted vote to me. The lesser of two evils is still evil.

 

[ballisticn8]

even if some consider that third party a wasted vote if i dont like the rep or dem that is running i wont give either of them my vote... :-/

 

[hakr100]

What is a "so-called libertarian"?

A better question might be, "what is a libertarian?"

If the Pauls, father and son, are the representatives of libertarianism...no thanks.

 

[dpizzo]

A better question might be, "what is a libertarian?"

If the Pauls, father and son, are the representatives of libertarianism...no thanks.

You'll never reach a consensus on what a Libertarian is, especially amongst actual Libertarians. For the record, Neither Ron nor Rand Paul are libertarian nor do the claim to be.

 

[Wreckoncile]

I vote pretty much solidly libertarian at all times. I'll check the polls leading into any major statewide elections and see if its within the margin of error and if I think one of the lesser-evils can or will address in any competent manner the most important issues in my view (pension reform here in California), than I may vote for him/her if the difference in candidates is large enough on the high-priority issues. As for federal offices, I have the unfortunate burden of living in Henry Waxman's district and since he is guaranteed to never lose thanks to our gerrymandered districts here, I don't consider voting my true libertarian belief to be a wasted vote. POTUS elections, California is a guaranteed Dem seat too, so again, I'm not wasting my vote. Besides, is a vote not more important when you represent 0.00001 of a candidate's overall vote total as opposed to 0.000000000001?

 

[wilkette]

I tend to vote Libertarian, but not exclusively.

 

[hood420]

I like Libertarians the most, but in general I dislike all politicians and the Government in general. I'm considering no longer voting, but I'm not quite sure yet.

 

[mpw]

...I'm considering no longer voting, but I'm not quite sure yet.

Please don't stop voting, apathy from electorates isn't good for democracy.

My POV is of somebody who last voted in the UK general election; where the 3rd party vote has proven critically important.

I wanted to vote Liberal, but knew they didn't stand a chance so voted Conservative, as keeping Labour out was more important to me under the circumstances. Most frustrating was talking to other electors and hearing that they voted for not 3rd party candidates, but 5th, 6th and 7th party candidates with very specific manifesto issues (like a pedestrian crossing outside the school, worthy cause, but not really a national political issue) meant that Labour still won, but by only a handful of votes.

 

[Tangent]

I like Libertarians the most, but in general I dislike all politicians and the Government in general. I'm considering no longer voting, but I'm not quite sure yet.

Keep in mind that you don't have to vote for every issue on a ballot. If you think every candidate for President is a lying turd (I wouldn't argue with that opinion...) you can skip that part and just vote on propositions and for other positions with candidates you can bring yourself to support.

 

[dpizzo]

I like Libertarians the most, but in general I dislike all politicians and the Government in general. I'm considering no longer voting, but I'm not quite sure yet.

Write someone in, or vote N.O.T.A. (None Of The Above).

 

[TheBeardedMann]

When it comes to Presidential elections, you gotta play politics. Republican or Democrat. Now, hopefully you did all you can up to that point, starting off in local government. Presidential canidates don't just pop out of no where. Usually they have experience as a governor or member of Congress or something. So you gotta start there. If you are trying to vote for a 3rd party presidential canidate, I'd say you are too late. You gotta vote for the lesser of two evils. But in local elections, your vote has much more to it. A nobody can come out and win. And it even starts at your local Board of Supervisors or Chairman of some committee. Those people that elected at that level, generally try to continue and go higher up the ladder. It's easier to stop those people at the bottom and not at the top.