"Do you ever vote for candidates in a general election you perceive as having no real chance?"
Sure. Of course!
(Many things go into deciding who to vote for. Voting for 'whoever will win' doesn't mean crap to me. I mean... it's not like I win a prize for it, or collect points or something. :-)
1) Sometimes swallowing hard and voting for 'the lesser of two evils' (in a very CLOSE ELECTION, when my single vote might have a chance at being determinative) is the right way to go....
2) While, other times, when an election is NOT going to be close, and (my State being a 'winner-take-all' State... so, *NO* votes get proportionally awarded to the #2 guy, regardless), and the 'lesser-of-two-evils' choice is NOT going to win any electors in my State, come Hell or High water regardless of how I vote... then the ABSOLUTELY CORRECT THING TO DO is to vote for the SINGLE BEST PERSON ON THE BALLOT. (Regardless of if they are going to win or not.)
That way, at least, I'm voting for what I stand for, for PRINCIPLE... and, I can always hope that - over time - those good principles will *catch on* and support will build-up in the future. (Whether my particular candidate gets to win in the future... or whether just the IDEAS and PRINCIPLES catch on.)
EITHER way, it has an influence. |
