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So who are you voting for?

spockforprezspockforprez member
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edited September 2016 in Chit Chat
It's getting to that time, just over six weeks to go until the election. I was undecided all summer and finally made a choice a few weeks ago. I just want to get it over with at this point.
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So who are you voting for? 85 votes

Hillary Clinton
72% 62 votes
Donald Trump
8% 7 votes
Gary Johnson
11% 10 votes
Jill Stein
1% 1 vote
Darrell Castle
0% 0 votes
Rocky de la Fuente
0% 0 votes
Write-in (tell us who!)
5% 5 votes
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Re: So who are you voting for?

  • monkeysipmonkeysip member
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    I selected write-in, but honestly I'm not sure who at this point.  I will definitely vote, but I'm probably not going to vote for a major candidate.  I'm definitely not voting for Trump, but I don't like Hillary either.  At this point, I don't think Texas is going to be a swing state, so I'll use my vote as a protest vote.  If I thought Texas could swing, I might vote Clinton just to make sure Trump didn't win.

    I was a Sanders supporter, btw.  I'm still tempted to write him in.  Or maybe just someone completely different (like a personal role model).

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  • charlotte989875charlotte989875 member
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    Most "protest votes" are not actually counted. Your write in candidate needs to be registered in most all states in order to "count". So if you write in a candidate your vote is disqualified. 
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  • kylexokylexo member
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    I'm not sure what the laws are in Texas but there are several states that throw out write in ballots entirely so your very important down ballot votes and completely wasted. So I'd recommend either voting for someone on the ballot (vermin supreme?) or abstaining from choosing a president to be sure the rest of your votes count.
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  • southernbelle0915southernbelle0915 mod
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    STARMOON44 said:
    CMGragain said:
    monkeysip said:
    I selected write-in, but honestly I'm not sure who at this point.  I will definitely vote, but I'm probably not going to vote for a major candidate.  I'm definitely not voting for Trump, but I don't like Hillary either.  At this point, I don't think Texas is going to be a swing state, so I'll use my vote as a protest vote.  If I thought Texas could swing, I might vote Clinton just to make sure Trump didn't win.

    I was a Sanders supporter, btw.  I'm still tempted to write him in.  Or maybe just someone completely different (like a personal role model).
    I don't understand this thinking.  Voting is a responsibility and a privilege.  My grandmothers could both remember when they (women) couldn't vote.

    I am not fond of either candidate, but I do want someone who is competent to deal with the Washington power games.  I want a professional who understands the rules.  I will vote for the best of the two candidates that are offered by the major parties because I want my vote to count.  That doesn't mean that I am happy with the choice offered to me.   Protest votes for other candidates are meaningless.  Nobody cares if you throw away your vote, but if Mr. Trump wins and you don't like it, you will have no one to blame but yourself.
    To me it says I'd rather vote for someone with zero chance of winning than a competent, capable, sane candidate who is the only viable alternative to a bigot. Zero respect for that "protest."  Zero respect for that brand of "progressive." What are you protesting? The primary process? Her politics? Voting for Betty Sue the neighbor you admire doesn't convey any protest at all. 
    QFT. Especially if you're in a swing state. Every vote counts and wasting it on someone who will definitely NOT win is irresponsible IMO. There's way too much at stake in this election.

    If you (indefinite) truly hate the 2 party system, then you should actually work to try and change it more than just filling in a dot at the ballot box. It's not like the people in power (from the 2 parties) are going to be like "wow, looks like some people want more choices. we'll get right on that."
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  • charlotte989875charlotte989875 member
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    I'm not trying to criticize your vote, but even in Texas in order to have a write in vote counted, the candidate has to file a declaration of write in candidacy between July and August in the election year (for presidential office), so even if you wrote in a name, it doesn't get tallied for that person. 

    Who you vote for is your own personal decision. My point was more general in that in nearly every state, even write in candidates must file the appropriate paperwork in order for those votes to count. So the effect of a writing in a candidate is the same as not voting if that person has not registered as a write-in because your ballot would thrown out. 

    For the record, I don't think most people know this. Ballot access is complicated, and laws change frequently, so I think most people assume if they write someone in it is tallied, and historically that may have been the case, but it definitely isn't now. 
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  • STARMOON44STARMOON44 member
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    Oh please. No one is shaming anyone. Voting is private until you decide to share your views with everyone. You seriously didn't think lots of people would have something to say about your choice when you posted? 
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  • southernbelle0915southernbelle0915 mod
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    monkeysip said:
    Wow...

    I don't need a lecture on how voting works or the importance of it.  Voting is an incredibly important task to me, and that's why I don't so quickly just vote for the lesser of two evils.  Do I think Hillary is better than Trump? Yes.  And that's why I SAID if I lived in a swing state, I'd vote for Hillary.  But I have VERY serious issues with her policies.  I'm not some sexist nut who believes all these conspiracy theories about her.  I don't think she's the devil.  But my conscience does not want to vote for her if I don't have to.  And to see people on here trying to shame me into voting for her or Trump is RIDICULOUS.  You apparently completely don't get the whole point of voting... to have your voice heard in a democracy, even though yes, that voice is ridiculously small.  Not to be bullied into picking one of two options people push you into.

    As far as I understand from TX election law, my ballot would NOT be thrown out by writing someone else in.  If it would be, obviously I wouldn't write someone in.  

    And yes, I am trying to change the 2 party system, not the least of which by educating my students (I teach GOVERNMENT) about the importance of independent parties.  

    I'm sorry, but I'm deeply disappointed by our current 2 parties and their candidates.  And I personally believe that in our current system, voting is NOT just about the actual effect it has in the election (but honestly, often that effect is nothing at all, especially in a state like TX), but also about shaping your own character.  

    When I said protest vote... I didn't mean it in some flippant way.  I'm not protesting Hillary for the heck of it.  I meant as opposed to just not voting for president.  I mean, that's an option.  But as long as my ballot wouldn't be thrown out, I think voting for a write-in is better than not voting.  

    And honestly, I couldn't care less if you approve of my voting decision.
    I think you're taking this WAY to personally. This is probably the longest post I've ever seen from you with a lot of caps. Chill, my friend. 

    It's not like you're the first person anyone on here has run into who is "protest voting" (or whatever you want to call it). People have opinions about protest voting since it's a big thing in this election. And people are allowed to say what those opinions are - this is an open forum. If you feel "shamed" "bullied" (come on...really? read this thread it's tame af) or pressured into voting for someone based on that, it's on you.
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  • STARMOON44STARMOON44 member
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    ShesSoCold said:

    I have no effing clue what I'm going to do.

    This is a terrible and embarrassing time to be a Republican with half a brain.

    The last 8 years of racism weren't? It is embarrassing, for the entire party, and every Republican shares responsibility for how things got here. 
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  • charlotte989875charlotte989875 member
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    But you are wasting your vote in you try and vote for a candidate that is not on the ballot; you are quite literally throwing your vote away because it does not count. Gary Johnson is on the ballot in all 50 states. Jill Stein is not on the ballot in South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Nevada, and is a write-in option in Ohio, North Carolina, and Georgia. Voting for them is not the same as voting for a write-in who is not eligible. 

    The argument that the "system is broken" drives me a little crazy. Because of the way we elect representatives (both Congressional and Presidential) we will always have a two-party system. It doesn't mean we will always have these two particular parties, but because we are a winner take all system, we end up with two parties with platforms that are not all that different from one another. It's not money in politics, or laws, or even a preference for these two parties that keep the two party system in place; it's the fact that we have a system where where one party/one person fills one-seat. Other systems (proportional representation, parliaments with quotas) have institutional structures in place that make third-party representation possible. 
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  • kylexokylexo member
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    monkeysip said:
    Wow...

    I don't need a lecture on how voting works or the importance of it.  Voting is an incredibly important task to me, and that's why I don't so quickly just vote for the lesser of two evils.  Do I think Hillary is better than Trump? Yes.  And that's why I SAID if I lived in a swing state, I'd vote for Hillary.  But I have VERY serious issues with her policies.  I'm not some sexist nut who believes all these conspiracy theories about her.  I don't think she's the devil.  But my conscience does not want to vote for her if I don't have to.  And to see people on here trying to shame me into voting for her or Trump is RIDICULOUS.  You apparently completely don't get the whole point of voting... to have your voice heard in a democracy, even though yes, that voice is ridiculously small.  Not to be bullied into picking one of two options people push you into.

    As far as I understand from TX election law, my ballot would NOT be thrown out by writing someone else in.  If it would be, obviously I wouldn't write someone in.  

    And yes, I am trying to change the 2 party system, not the least of which by educating my students (I teach GOVERNMENT) about the importance of independent parties.  

    I'm sorry, but I'm deeply disappointed by our current 2 parties and their candidates.  And I personally believe that in our current system, voting is NOT just about the actual effect it has in the election (but honestly, often that effect is nothing at all, especially in a state like TX), but also about shaping your own character.  

    When I said protest vote... I didn't mean it in some flippant way.  I'm not protesting Hillary for the heck of it.  I meant as opposed to just not voting for president.  I mean, that's an option.  But as long as my ballot wouldn't be thrown out, I think voting for a write-in is better than not voting.  

    And honestly, I couldn't care less if you approve of my voting decision.
    http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/guide/writein.shtml

    If you vote for anyone who hasn't filed as an acceptable write-in candidate (must have completed paperwork by August 22nd) or someone who participated in a primary and lost (Bernie - called the Sore Loser Law). Either vote for someone on the ballot, an acceptable write-in candidate or your vote is a throw away.

    In the following states your ballot is thrown out entirely if you write-in a vote: Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota
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  • southernbelle0915southernbelle0915 mod
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    @thisismynickname - re. the meme....says the guy who wants your vote. "people don't care about you, but I do." Come on, he's a politician. 

    Look, I get the appeal. Ideally, everyone wants a perfect candidate rather than choosing between "the lesser of two evils". Of course. But realistically, the next POTUS is going to be President Clinton or President Trump. Gary Johnson is not going to win the Presidency. He's just not.

    So if you're in a swing state, it's my opinion that you are tossing away your vote that could swing the election one toward a President Trump or a President Clinton in favor of someone you know is going to lose. 
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  • TheMostHappy15TheMostHappy15 member
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    I hate hate hate the whole "If you don't vote for Hillary you're voting for Trump," "If you don't vote for Trump you're voting for Hillary," "Voting for someone outside of the major party candidates is a wasted vote" mentality.

    There is no such thing as "throwing away" a vote. A vote is meant to be your voice in who you want to govern you, and so as long as you use that voice to genuinely express who you'd want to see elected (as opposed to like, writing in Spongebob Squarepants or something) it's not a waste. You can hate everything Trump stands for but still disagree with some of Hillary's policy positions to such an extent that you don't feel comfortable voting for her.

    The way I look at it, a vote for someone who doesn't have a shot at becoming president is just as "wasted" as a vote for someone who already has your state locked up- in either case your vote doesn't "matter" in the grand scheme of things but it's an important symbolic action.

    I say all this as someone who is mostly proudly voting for Hillary, and as someone who will basically never vote anything but straight Democrat down the ticket. 
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  • monkeysipmonkeysip member
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    kylexo said:

    http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/guide/writein.shtml

    If you vote for anyone who hasn't filed as an acceptable write-in candidate (must have completed paperwork by August 22nd) or someone who participated in a primary and lost (Bernie - called the Sore Loser Law). Either vote for someone on the ballot, an acceptable write-in candidate or your vote is a throw away.

    In the following states your ballot is thrown out entirely if you write-in a vote: Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota
    Again, I understand that my vote for Sanders or someone else not on the official write-in options doesn't "count" in the sense that they could win.  At this point, no one on the ballot could actually win besides Clinton/Trump, so even a vote for Johnson or Stein doesn't "count" in any meaningful sense.

    But since Texas won't throw my vote out, I think it's more of a symbolic act to vote for someone else instead of leaving the option blank.

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  • charlotte989875charlotte989875 member
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    monkeysip said:
    kylexo said:

    http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/guide/writein.shtml

    If you vote for anyone who hasn't filed as an acceptable write-in candidate (must have completed paperwork by August 22nd) or someone who participated in a primary and lost (Bernie - called the Sore Loser Law). Either vote for someone on the ballot, an acceptable write-in candidate or your vote is a throw away.

    In the following states your ballot is thrown out entirely if you write-in a vote: Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota
    Again, I understand that my vote for Sanders or someone else not on the official write-in options doesn't "count" in the sense that they could win.  At this point, no one on the ballot could actually win besides Clinton/Trump, so even a vote for Johnson or Stein doesn't "count" in any meaningful sense.

    But since Texas won't throw my vote out, I think it's more of a symbolic act to vote for someone else instead of leaving the option blank.
    They won't throw out your vote if you vote for Sanders, or Stein, or Johnson, (or other official write-in candidates).

    They will throw it out if you write in someone else. 
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  • short+sassyshort+sassy member
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    I don't agree with the idea of a "wasted vote".  Though I appreciate PPs explanations of how "write-ins" are treated.  Voting itself is the democratic process.

    I live in a state as red as a fire engine.  Because of the b.s. electoral college system we have, my presidential vote, even for a major candidate matters ZZZEEERRROOOO.  So what is the point?  The point is I am exercising my rights.  But that is really about it for a Presidential election.

    However, for smaller elections...which quite frankly are substantially more important for laws/policies put into place for a citizen's day-to-day life...my vote is very important. 

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  • thisismynickname2thisismynickname2 member
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    southernbelle0915 said:
    @thisismynickname - re. the meme....says the guy who wants your vote. "people don't care about you, but I do." Come on, he's a politician. 

    Look, I get the appeal. Ideally, everyone wants a perfect candidate rather than choosing between "the lesser of two evils". Of course. But realistically, the next POTUS is going to be President Clinton or President Trump. Gary Johnson is not going to win the Presidency. He's just not.

    So if you're in a swing state, it's my opinion that you are tossing away your vote that could swing the election one toward a President Trump or a President Clinton in favor of someone you know is going to lose. 
    So what if he's a politician. He's not wrong. I had a civil Facebook discussion with some former coworkers who had the stance of, "But you can't vote for Trump and only Hilary can beat him; think of what would happen to so many people if he became president." That's exactly what "silencing my vote so theirs can be louder" is. 

    If every single person who was more voting against someone instead of for someone voted for Johnson or Stein, Johnson or Stein would be President. 

    Check out who Iceland just elected president- an Independent. Sure, it's a small nation, but there was political upheaval that led the public to support someone largely non-political. 

    Continuing to vote for a major party candidate when you don't support their platform is just reinforcing the cycle of us getting unpopular candidates. (But again, if you largely do identify with one of the major party candidates, then good on you.) 
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  • kylexokylexo member
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    charlotte989875 said:
    monkeysip said:
    kylexo said:

    http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/guide/writein.shtml

    If you vote for anyone who hasn't filed as an acceptable write-in candidate (must have completed paperwork by August 22nd) or someone who participated in a primary and lost (Bernie - called the Sore Loser Law). Either vote for someone on the ballot, an acceptable write-in candidate or your vote is a throw away.

    In the following states your ballot is thrown out entirely if you write-in a vote: Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota
    Again, I understand that my vote for Sanders or someone else not on the official write-in options doesn't "count" in the sense that they could win.  At this point, no one on the ballot could actually win besides Clinton/Trump, so even a vote for Johnson or Stein doesn't "count" in any meaningful sense.

    But since Texas won't throw my vote out, I think it's more of a symbolic act to vote for someone else instead of leaving the option blank.
    They won't throw out your vote if you vote for Sanders, or Stein, or Johnson, (or other official write-in candidates).

    They will throw it out if you write in someone else. 
    It would get thrown out for voting for Bernie via the Sore Loser law
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  • charlotte989875charlotte989875 member
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    kylexo said:
    charlotte989875 said:
    monkeysip said:
    kylexo said:

    http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/guide/writein.shtml

    If you vote for anyone who hasn't filed as an acceptable write-in candidate (must have completed paperwork by August 22nd) or someone who participated in a primary and lost (Bernie - called the Sore Loser Law). Either vote for someone on the ballot, an acceptable write-in candidate or your vote is a throw away.

    In the following states your ballot is thrown out entirely if you write-in a vote: Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota
    Again, I understand that my vote for Sanders or someone else not on the official write-in options doesn't "count" in the sense that they could win.  At this point, no one on the ballot could actually win besides Clinton/Trump, so even a vote for Johnson or Stein doesn't "count" in any meaningful sense.

    But since Texas won't throw my vote out, I think it's more of a symbolic act to vote for someone else instead of leaving the option blank.
    They won't throw out your vote if you vote for Sanders, or Stein, or Johnson, (or other official write-in candidates).

    They will throw it out if you write in someone else. 
    It would get thrown out for voting for Bernie via the Sore Loser law
    Right, sorry about that. She could vote for Stein or Johnson (or other registered write-in). Voting for Sanders, or a non-registered write-in gets the ballot tossed. 
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  • kylexokylexo member
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    Sorry to keep harping on the ballot throwing away thing - i only learned about it a couple of months ago and became kind of obsessed with it because it's sort of crazy. The more I thought about it though the more it sorta makes sense. Like, machines read your ballots. By writing in your vote, it has to be hand counted, costing the state more money. By writing in someone who isn't even eligible to be voted for all you're doing is wasting time and money. The person hand counting your ballot doesn't care that you want to vote for your best friends mom, they are scanning ballots to see if it's an eligible name on there and if it isn't, why bother? The elections board doesn't care you wanted to vote for your elementary school gym teacher. It's just a name that means nothing to them. I understand the impulse to write in vote for someone you deem more deserving, but there is literally no point to it other than to make yourself feel better about it.

    TLDR; write ins need to be hand checked, your down ballot votes may not count since it's taking your ballot out of the ballots being machine counted, no one reading who you've written in gives a damn.
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  • monkeysipmonkeysip member
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    charlotte989875 said:
    monkeysip said:
    kylexo said:

    http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/guide/writein.shtml

    If you vote for anyone who hasn't filed as an acceptable write-in candidate (must have completed paperwork by August 22nd) or someone who participated in a primary and lost (Bernie - called the Sore Loser Law). Either vote for someone on the ballot, an acceptable write-in candidate or your vote is a throw away.

    In the following states your ballot is thrown out entirely if you write-in a vote: Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota
    Again, I understand that my vote for Sanders or someone else not on the official write-in options doesn't "count" in the sense that they could win.  At this point, no one on the ballot could actually win besides Clinton/Trump, so even a vote for Johnson or Stein doesn't "count" in any meaningful sense.

    But since Texas won't throw my vote out, I think it's more of a symbolic act to vote for someone else instead of leaving the option blank.
    They won't throw out your vote if you vote for Sanders, or Stein, or Johnson, (or other official write-in candidates).

    They will throw it out if you write in someone else. 
    But not the whole ballot.  Only that particular vote.  Not in TX at least.

    Again, I know it doesn't "count" for something, but again I think voting is more than just what it "counts" for.

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  • monkeysipmonkeysip member
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    BTW, like I said, I'm not completely decided yet.

    I realize that voting for an actual write-in or third party would be more "effective".  I have considered Jill Stein.  Although she has a few questionable views (like her pandering to anti-vaxxers).  I see no appeal in Johnson at all.

    I'm honestly really torn over all of this.  I hate that these are our choices.  I'm not waiting for the "ideal" candidate-- I know that will never happen.  I know that compromise is necessary in a democracy.  But I also hate having to support candidates with policies that violate some of my deepest held moral beliefs.  It just sucks, honestly.

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  • kylexokylexo member
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    edited September 2016
    monkeysip said:
    charlotte989875 said:
    monkeysip said:
    kylexo said:

    http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/guide/writein.shtml

    If you vote for anyone who hasn't filed as an acceptable write-in candidate (must have completed paperwork by August 22nd) or someone who participated in a primary and lost (Bernie - called the Sore Loser Law). Either vote for someone on the ballot, an acceptable write-in candidate or your vote is a throw away.

    In the following states your ballot is thrown out entirely if you write-in a vote: Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota
    Again, I understand that my vote for Sanders or someone else not on the official write-in options doesn't "count" in the sense that they could win.  At this point, no one on the ballot could actually win besides Clinton/Trump, so even a vote for Johnson or Stein doesn't "count" in any meaningful sense.

    But since Texas won't throw my vote out, I think it's more of a symbolic act to vote for someone else instead of leaving the option blank.
    They won't throw out your vote if you vote for Sanders, or Stein, or Johnson, (or other official write-in candidates).

    They will throw it out if you write in someone else. 
    But not the whole ballot.  Only that particular vote.  Not in TX at least.

    Again, I know it doesn't "count" for something, but again I think voting is more than just what it "counts" for.
    But potentially yes. If out of 5 million votes on election day, there are 300 ballots where someone was written in, those ballots are taken out of the pile to machine count who was voted for so that they can be hand counted. How high on their priority list do you think your ballot is for them to count? In most cases those ballots will only get counted if one of the elections is contested. So while theoretically in TX your vote isn't getting thrown out by voting off ballot, your vote is also probably not getting counted, that does include down ballot votes. It's not right, but it's reality.
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