https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 05 Apr 2026 16:03:37 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-382725 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 23:28:22 +0000 kstr 382725@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I vote 3rd party, primarily because neither candidate is a good option. I believe that a 3rd party vote is a vote against the two party system, which has done us no favors. Not to mention that one day I can tell my kids that I always voted my principles.</p> <p>Plus I live in CA, which is blue regardless of what i do, so even more reasons to vote my principles </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381631 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:54:26 +0000 ladyfingers 381631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't believe that it's necessarily a wasted vote, but I think people who are voting third party should be aware of which candidate -- if any -- their vote might tip the election in favor of. And if they're OK with that or don't care otherwise, then it's all good. It just bothers me when people are voting for a third party in a situation where a vote for them is a vote TOWARD a candidate they would very much not support. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381449 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 12:44:29 +0000 MrsTiz 381449@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't read PP's but it is a wasted vote IMO. If you are going to go stand in line and vote, vote for someone who is realistically in the running. Writing in someone is a waste of your vote. You know they aren't going to win, or even come close. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381421 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 12:35:37 +0000 KRunRun 381421@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've voted third party in the past. I always thought of it as a vote more in line with my ideals than the two major players. But, I'm an Ohio voter and this year chose one of the two major candidates. I've got a feeling that it's going to come down to a few hundred votes, and I really don't like one of the candidates, so I voted for the other. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381339 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 12:10:10 +0000 Foodnerd81 381339@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Honeybee: Very nicely put. </p> <p>I did not vote for a 3rd party, but I would if there was a candidate I identified with-- particularly if I didn't live in a swing state (well, which I don't). Last election I did not vote because I didn't feel I could vote for either candidate, so my vote REALLY didn't count because I didn't have one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381336 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 12:08:31 +0000 mrsjazz 381336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm voting for Obama, but I do vote under a third-party when I vote because I believe strongly that we should have more than two parties. In NY I vote under the Working Families Party, it's a progressive political party--they usually endorse the candidate I believe in and are on the ballot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381312 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 12:00:53 +0000 DillonLion 381312@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Honeybee: Nicely put! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381304 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:58:48 +0000 Honeybee 381304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As someone who votes third party (and I am SUPER pumped about Jill Stein this year!!!), I don't consider my vote wasted. I like to think of it as a vote for the long-term, instead. Imo, a vote for Romney or Obama is a vote for the immediate decision of presidency. Obviously, one of them will win, so people who vote for one of those two candidates will be the deciding factor as to who wins this presidential race.</p> <p>For myself, though, and a lot of other third party voters, the two-party system just isn't cutting it. I hear a lot of people complain that they don't fully support either candidate but they're voting for the "lesser of two evils." In an ideal world we'd have more than two viable options and people would vote for the candidate they most truely identify with.</p> <p>I think my third party vote is helping us move towards that ideal world. A lot of people think a third party vote is wasted, but it's not because each time a third party gets a vote, they get that much more publicity. Did you know that when a third party gets 5% of the popular vote in an election they then qualify for matching funds from the federal government?</p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matching_funds" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matching_funds</a> (Check out the political section)</p> <p>Every time someone votes for a third party that party gets more recognition and starts reaching a larger audience who may then vote for them in the next election, so every third party vote (to me) is a move towards expanding the current two-party system. It may not decide the immediate presidential race, but it will have an effect in the way our country runs it's elections in the long-term. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381105 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:48:09 +0000 knittylady 381105@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>oops. here's the link. <a href="http://2012election.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004491" rel="nofollow">http://2012election.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004491</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381103 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:47:59 +0000 knittylady 381103@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Came across this on facebook. Really interesting. I'm still planning on voting for Obama but my results were in order: stein, Johnson, Obama, Goode, Romney.</p> <p>I really hate the two party system we've got and would love to see that change. In the past I've voted for third party candidates. This year though, it's Obama. Can't really say why, i live in a solid blue state, but I just feel like it's important to vote for him this year. *shrugs* </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381101 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:47:02 +0000 tlcbaby 381101@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with @sloaneandpuffy.</p> <p>To add to that, I think there are a lot of people who don't vote because they don't like eithe the democrat or republican candidate and think that their vote won't matter if they vote for someone else. If all of those people would get out and vote, it might just shake up the two party system. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381099 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:45:58 +0000 yoursilverlining 381099@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I vote by political party that best represents my views; since the party as whole has the power, not the individual candidate. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381087 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:43:31 +0000 Arden 381087@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoJoGirl: Well, if you live in a swing state you might count. But if you don't? I just feel like it needs to be by popular vote in general. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381086 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:42:19 +0000 mrbee 381086@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anonysquire: What about the electoral college though? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381081 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:41:29 +0000 JoJoGirl 381081@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: They do count, though. Remember Florida in 2000? That entire election came down to individual voters.</p> <p>That being said, I agree the entire system is really stupid and we should go back to popular vote. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381076 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:39:39 +0000 anonysquire 381076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So for me I know either Romney or Obama is going to win. If Obama wins I would kick myself for voting 3rd party and not helping Romney win. That's how I see it. A third party vote or write-in or not voting is voting for whoever ends up winning. If anyone understands my thinking. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381056 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:35:34 +0000 Arden 381056@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My take? I won't vote for someone I don't believe in, because I would feel partially responsible for putting them in office (even if that may not be true, since it's not done by popular vote).<br /> Therefore, if I don't believe in either candidate, I will vote for who I DO believe in, regardless of whether it will make any difference. At least I'll come away knowing that I voted for someone I believed in.</p> <p>And while we're on the subject? I think we should elect Presidents by popular vote, and do away with electoral votes. We constantly hear "Every vote counts!" and it's just not true, and that's sad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381042 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:31:13 +0000 anonysquire 381042@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JerricaBenton: agreed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381040 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:30:50 +0000 hilsy85 381040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: Ah gotcha. </p> <p>Also, just wanted to add that if a third party candidate gets a certain number of votes, he/she is eligible for federal funding. So in that way, voting for a 3rd party candidate actually makes a huge difference compared to voting for Obama/Romney (unless you're in a swing state). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381036 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:29:13 +0000 JerricaBenton 381036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not in a swing state per se but in this election I think there are many states that will be closer than predicted and I think if you care about whether the president is Obama or Romney, you should vote for one of them no matter your state. I guess if you really don't care, which I can't imagine, then it doesn't matter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381034 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:28:59 +0000 Modern Daisy 381034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: Sorry I should have said "in my opinion". The reason I feel that way is because most likely one of them is going to win, so it's best to choose which one you like better to help swing the results. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381027 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:27:02 +0000 DillonLion 381027@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sloaneandpuffy: This, also. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381022 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:26:15 +0000 mamimami 381022@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am not voting for a third party candidate but many progressives do so because they wan to build up the third party system and hope there will be better alternatives to democrats and republicans years down the line. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381020 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:25:56 +0000 hilsy85 381020@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: just curious, why do you think it's best to choose between those two candidates? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381014 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:24:26 +0000 mrbee 381014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anonysquire: how can it be a wasted vote if you don't live in a swing state? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381013 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:24:14 +0000 Modern Daisy 381013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's best to choose between Obama or Romney even if you hate them both, but it's not necessarily a wasted vote. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381012 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:24:09 +0000 Mrsbells 381012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm surprised you guys think your votes wont make a difference. I thought every single vote matters. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381005 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:22:17 +0000 hilsy85 381005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@highwire: This exactly. Except my state is solidly blue. But my vote still wouldn't make a difference between Obama/Romney. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-381002 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:21:39 +0000 anonysquire 381002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In my opinion it's a wasted vote. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/voting-for-a-someone-other-than-obama-or-romney#post-380999 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:21:24 +0000 DillonLion 380999@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll chime in. I do not live in a swing state whatsoever, so the whole "wasted vote" thing doesn't really bother me, since my vote pretty much doesn't matter regardless. Texas is going to go red. Like I said in the other thread, I got fed up with the notion of feeling like I am forced to choose between the lesser of two evils, and I chose to flex my voting rights by choosing neither, and going with a candidate that actually has platforms and policy ideas that I wholeheartedly support. I feel happy with my vote and I'm glad that I was able to send one in for someone I genuinely agree with. </p>