Do you vote for a party or a candidate?

[zsdersw]

There are 4 types of voters:

1.) Those who always vote for the Democratic candidate
2.) Those who always vote for the Republican candidate
3.) Those who vote for both Democratic and Republican candidates on the same ballot
4.) Those who vote for candidates from other parties

These votes cover a variety of races, local, state, and federal.

Which type are you?

I've never voted for either party exclusively. I'm not a registered member of any party, and I never will be. Doing so implies an obligation to believe and vote a certain way in perpetuity, and I refuse to do that in the name of a political party.

I'm also of the opinion that voting for a party instead of a candidate is very dangerous and a detriment to this country. If you believe that either the Democratic or Republican parties are the only party that has all the right answers and that they're on your side, you're a damned fool.

NOTE: Your vote on this poll is public.

 

[Schadenfroh]

My state and local votes usually go (D), the Democratic primary is basically the main election where I am from. I believe I have only voted for a Republican twice at the state / local level, one of those was for a relative.

My federal voting history is split. I have voted (D) and (R) about equally for the president in the past, same for senate. My house vote has been all (D), since Gene Taylor is the man.

FWIW, I consider myself a Conservative Democrat of the paleocon variety.

 

[Moonbeam]

Dian Feinstein voted for the war In Iraq. I will vote against her. My congressman did the same. I voted against him. Democrats who are cowards and or moral pigs can go fuck themselves.

 

[Bowfinger]

I vote for people, not parties. This regularly includes third-party candidates.

 

[Bateluer]

I vote for people, not parties. This regularly includes third-party candidates.

Same, I've never voted straight along party lines.

 

[dawp]

I've never voted republican but I don't always vote democratic. I prefer 3 party.

 

[PokerGuy]

Unless there's a particular reason to vote against the (R) candidate, I pretty much just go (R) down the line in every election.

 

[zsdersw]

Unless there's a particular reason to vote against the (R) candidate, I pretty much just go (R) down the line in every election.

Unfortunate. You're selling out to the party, and not necessarily being an advocate of the truth and what the right choice is.

I've heard the "but I can change the party from within" argument before, but it doesn't hold any water with me. Political parties change only when they lose elections. Losing elections requires voting against, not voting for.

 

[Fear No Evil]

Unfortunate. You're selling out to the party, and not necessarily being an advocate of the truth and what the right choice is.

I've heard the "but I can change the party from within" argument before, but it doesn't hold any water with me. Political parties change only when they lose elections. Losing elections requires voting against, not voting for.

I don't think he said anything about changing the party from within.. But it doesn't make sense to elect someone who disagrees with a majority of your views to 'make a point'.. you are only hurting your causes more. The proper place to make a point to your party is in the primary.

 

[zsdersw]

I don't think he said anything about changing the party from within.. But it doesn't make sense to elect someone who disagrees with a majority of your views to 'make a point'.. you are only hurting your causes more. The proper place to make a point to your party is in the primary.

If there's someone on the ballot the views of whom I'm not familiar with, I don't vote for him/her. I don't vote for the R or D candidate just because they're in one party or not in another. Sometimes I don't vote for anyone in a particular race.

That's what should happen instead of voting for the R or D candidate because they're in the party you prefer or are a member of.

 

[Acanthus]

I vote for people, not parties. This regularly includes third-party candidates.

This.

 

[Acanthus]

Unless there's a particular reason to vote against the (R) candidate, I pretty much just go (R) down the line in every election.

I am shocked to see that you're a die hard R voter after commenting on how much you hate bill mahr

 

[Nemesis 1]

I voted both until last election . But I won't vote on the for hire politicans anymore . Enough is enough. Hell last time I voted Bush . Hangs head in shame.

 

[Atreus21]

With very few exceptions, I tend to always vote republican. I think I voted for Landrieu during the last congressional elections.

 

[zsdersw]

With very few exceptions, I tend to always vote republican. I think I voted for Landrieu during the last congressional elections.

So supporting the Republican party is more important to you than electing the better candidate?

 

[nyker96]

I don't think anyone should vote for party, because that's like eating whatever they preped for you and you miss out on more capable candidate that way. In fact I think more smaller party should emerge just to give people more choices, but the problem of course if money, no smaller party can pull the kind of money GOP/Dem party can supply their candidate to spread their message, that's just a major flaw in all this.

 

[BoomerD]

I've been voting since 1972. (first election after the passing of the 26th amendment)

I have NEVER voted for the candidate with the (R) behind his/her name.
This past election, for the first time in my life, I did NOT vote for the Democratic candidate for President. I "threw away" my vote by voting for a 3rd party candidate.

I still believe that a working man voting for a Republican is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders.

 

[werepossum]

You need more choices in your poll. I practically never vote for Democrats above local level, but I vote for as many third party candidates (usually Libertarians) as for Republicans. That doesn't fit into those four choices. And anyway I'm usually voting AGAINST a particular party or candidate rather than for one.

 

[spidey07]

This is the first time I'll be voting straight republican ticket in all races. Fuck liberals, fuck democrats and fuck obama.

 

[cubby1223]

As much as many here take me for a die-hard Republican fanboy...

I selected that I vote for neither Democratic or Republican candidates!!! Take that establishment, and take that AT P&N hacks!!! In 11 years I have been eligible to vote I have still never registered to do so. As much as people want to bitch at me about it, I still have no motivation, the probability of my one vote making the difference in any major election is trivially small, virtually non-existent.

So, the rest of you all get out and vote, while I sit here with my legs kicked up on the couch!

I've not seen a candidate worthy of my vote from either party in the major elections. I dislike them all, and not going to throw away my vote on the lesser of two evils.

Oh, and can't blame me for Bush

 

[woolfe9999]

I have always voted R for governor here in California because I prefer to have a moderate R in the state house to counterbalance the heavily D legislature. This time I am going to vote D for governor because the R candidate is trying to buy the election with lots of sleazy ads and she lacks relevant experience IMO. Apart from governor, my voting record is about 70% D, 15% R, and 15% third party. It depends on the candidate but I usually agree with D's on more policy stances.

- wolf

 

[Infohawk]

Both.

 

[NoCreativity]

I vote both R and D and occasionally 3rd party (So didn't vote in your poll). Unfortunately, like werepossum, I usually find myself voting against a candidate rather than for one.

 

[DaveSimmons]

> 3.) Those who vote for both Democratic and Republican candidates on the same ballot

I don't vote for third parties since they have no chance of winning -- I pick the lesser evil between the R and D candidates.

 

[dfuze]

I vote for a candidate, not a party.

To me it's like ATI vs Nvidia, go for the best at the time.