Why does this exist? It’s an absolute embarrassment to our election system. It’s a lazy and irresponsible approach to voting and only encourages the extreme partisanship that we see in Washington. We’re electing people, not parties. If you can’t do enough research to make an informed decision on who you’re voting for, then don’t vote!
My ballot had 96 races being contested. There’s no way I have time to be informed on all 96, so I did my research on the ones I found most important and left the others blank on my ballot. I ended up casting a vote in 14 of the races, and my votes were fairly evenly split between republicans, democrats and libertarians. What I found was that each of the parties had candidates who were either wholly unqualified, had ethical issues in their backgrounds, or had pet issues that I couldn’t support.
A surprising number of my friends, people whom I consider intelligent and conscientious citizens, voted straight ballot. It just stuns me.
Why does this exist? It’s an absolute embarrassment to our election system. It’s a lazy and irresponsible approach to voting and only encourages the extreme partisanship that we see in Washington. We’re electing people, not parties. If you can’t do enough research to make an informed decision on who you’re voting for, then don’t vote!
My ballot had 96 races being contested. There’s no way I have time to be informed on all 96, so I did my research on the ones I found most important and left the others blank on my ballot. I ended up casting a vote in 14 of the races, and my votes were fairly evenly split between republicans, democrats and libertarians. What I found was that each of the parties had candidates who were either wholly unqualified, had ethical issues in their backgrounds, or had pet issues that I couldn’t support.
A surprising number of my friends, people whom I consider intelligent and conscientious citizens, voted straight ballot. It just stuns me.
Older Americans were taught in school that straight ticket voting was the best way to get your party’s ideals realized in law. Parties represented certain ideals. If you agree with those, but sometimes vote for the other candidate you hurt your chances of seeing your ideals turn into tangible laws.
Of course today, candidates rarely stand for anything we might call ideals, and party platforms are mostly meaningless anymore. We govern based on sound bites and what will enable you to raise money so you can be reelected again. Ideals don’t have much to do with politics anymore.
Could you on your ballot actually just click a button or something for the “straight ticket” ballot? That does not exist in VA, to the best of my knowledge (I had two races and two ballot measures).
I read some of the history on this the other day. It used to be that you’d receive your party’s ballot with ONLY your party’s candidates in it. If you wanted to vote for a candidate in another party, you’d have to get their ballot and this apparently made things confusing so most people just voted a straight ticket.
Could you on your ballot actually just click a button or something for the “straight ticket” ballot? That does not exist in VA, to the best of my knowledge (I had two races and two ballot measures).
Yep, 96. The very first box on the ballot (which is technically a 97th box) was to give the option of a straight ballot vote for one of the 4 primary parties (D, R, L, or G).
I agree with you. I am a “straight party” voter (never a straight ticket) generally, however this election cycle I voted for a republican that I felt better reflected my views and the candidate I would want as my elected official. In those elections that I didn’t know enough about even if there was a democrat, I didn’t vote because it would not be an informed decision.
If you don’t know who they are, just because they have a certain letter by their name does not equate to a equal position or philosophy. It’s a shame our system of government is so out of whack and that there is likely no chance of recovery without major overhaul that no one in power will ever endorse or pursue.
Why does this exist? It’s an absolute embarrassment to our election system. It’s a lazy and irresponsible approach to voting and only encourages the extreme partisanship that we see in Washington. We’re electing people, not parties. If you can’t do enough research to make an informed decision on who you’re voting for, then don’t vote!
My ballot had 96 races being contested. There’s no way I have time to be informed on all 96, so I did my research on the ones I found most important and left the others blank on my ballot. I ended up casting a vote in 14 of the races, and my votes were fairly evenly split between republicans, democrats and libertarians. What I found was that each of the parties had candidates who were either wholly unqualified, had ethical issues in their backgrounds, or had pet issues that I couldn’t support.
A surprising number of my friends, people whom I consider intelligent and conscientious citizens, voted straight ballot. It just stuns me.
Older Americans were taught in school that straight ticket voting was the best way to get your party’s ideals realized in law. Parties represented certain ideals. If you agree with those, but sometimes vote for the other candidate you hurt your chances of seeing your ideals turn into tangible laws.
Of course today, candidates rarely stand for anything we might call ideals, and party platforms are mostly meaningless anymore. We govern based on sound bites and what will enable you to raise money so you can be reelected again. Ideals don’t have much to do with politics anymore.
I can understand the sentiment, but it still comes back to voting actual people into office. On any party’s slate of candidates, you’re going to have duds.
Why does this exist? It’s an absolute embarrassment to our election system. It’s a lazy and irresponsible approach to voting and only encourages the extreme partisanship that we see in Washington. We’re electing people, not parties. If you can’t do enough research to make an informed decision on who you’re voting for, then don’t vote!
My ballot had 96 races being contested. There’s no way I have time to be informed on all 96, so I did my research on the ones I found most important and left the others blank on my ballot. I ended up casting a vote in 14 of the races, and my votes were fairly evenly split between republicans, democrats and libertarians. What I found was that each of the parties had candidates who were either wholly unqualified, had ethical issues in their backgrounds, or had pet issues that I couldn’t support.
A surprising number of my friends, people whom I consider intelligent and conscientious citizens, voted straight ballot. It just stuns me.
I’m with you.
I too have friends who vote straight party line. Some because they grew-up being taught the opposing party was evil and would take money from your wallet and food from your table. They fear the marketplace and believe that government is the great equalizer. You know the types, Koch Brothers bad and Harry Reid good. It’s a mindset I cannot understand.
Other friends follow trends and believe it’s currently hip and cool to be a liberal, and vote so, regardless of what the politicians do or pretend to stand for.
Geez- I only got to vote for Governor, Lt. Governor, and a State Representative who was running unopposed. While I understand your sentiment, I didn’t feel lazy or irresponsible when I pushed the Straight Ticket button.
I think the rational would be, if you don’t know the details of each person who is running, there is a better chance that the ones representing your Party will also represent your way of thinking.
Why does this exist? It’s an absolute embarrassment to our election system. It’s a lazy and irresponsible approach to voting and only encourages the extreme partisanship that we see in Washington. We’re electing people, not parties. If you can’t do enough research to make an informed decision on who you’re voting for, then don’t vote!
My ballot had 96 races being contested. There’s no way I have time to be informed on all 96, so I did my research on the ones I found most important and left the others blank on my ballot. I ended up casting a vote in 14 of the races, and my votes were fairly evenly split between republicans, democrats and libertarians. What I found was that each of the parties had candidates who were either wholly unqualified, had ethical issues in their backgrounds, or had pet issues that I couldn’t support.
A surprising number of my friends, people whom I consider intelligent and conscientious citizens, voted straight ballot. It just stuns me.
Look at the voting records of the parties. It makes no sense to split your ticket and expect the opposing party to vote with the other party regardless of the quality of the bill.
Not voting a straight ticket is a waste of a vote, not because the voter is stupid, but because the parties vote as a single entity.
Not voting a straight ticket is a waste of a vote, not because the voter is stupid, but because the parties vote as a single entity.
Three arguments against that-
Not all of the “straight ticket” votes are for legislative bodies where there’s even a possibility of voting as a bloc. At least in my state there are many executive positions up for grabs, say Attorney General, Treasurer, etc.
Legislative bodies don’t always vote as a perfect bloc. If you go here, note only one House member voted with party 100% of the time, one was as low as 59%.
Don’t let the tail wag the dog. E.g. if you don’t like strict party politics, don’t vote that way. If you like the efficiency of a temporary single party dominance, go for it.
I just don’t think we’ve seen really great things from single party dominance, either GOP or Dem.
A lot of people tend to vote straight ballot anyway. In Illinois (before they abolished it) if I remember correctly you could punch straight ticket and then if you wanted a different candidate you punched them below. We had two ballots (one for canidiates and one for Constitutional amendments and advisory questions at the state county and city level) here yesterday and some people took up to half an hour to vote if they vote the whole ticket. We vote to retain judges and they literally took up 1/2 to 2/3 of the ballot. I would say we had over a hundred questions yesterday at a minimum.
Look at the voting records of the parties. It makes no sense to split your ticket and expect the opposing party to vote with the other party regardless of the quality of the bill.
Not voting a straight ticket is a waste of a vote, not because the voter is stupid, but because the parties vote as a single entity.
I’m not a member of a party, so for me there isn’t an “opposing” party. I’m an American and a Texan, so when I vote, I’m trying to put the best people into office, regardless of party. It’s a bit naive and idealistic, but if more people took that view, you wouldn’t have parties voting as a single entitiy.
For me, I cant vote for the republican party. I just cant do it. Why would I vote against my own self interests??? Why should I vote for a bunch of Republican scum bags who attack sustainable transportation such as cycling, tell poor people and those who cant afford health care to fuck off and die, demonizes gay Americans, insult minorities, pushe for religion in schools, mock science, supress gun laws, rig elections, etc…
Edited: California voters and SF voters in particular, overwhelmingly did the strait ticket voting approach and we got a solidly democratic state. California= a great state!
For me, I cant vote for the republican party. I just cant do it. Why would I vote against my own self interests??? Why should I vote for a bunch of Republican scum bags who attack sustainable transportation such as cycling, tell poor people and those who cant afford health care to fuck off and die, demonizes gay Americans, insult minorities, pushe for religion in schools, mock science, supress gun laws, rig elections, etc…
Actually, I doubt that the Republican candidate that were voting against held any of those positions. It is true that he would caucus with a political party that you strongly oppose. That is the nature of our two party system (especially at this time). That is sufficient reason to oppose him rather than imputing false characterizations on him/her.
For me, I cant vote for the republican party. I just cant do it. Why would I vote against my own self interests??? Why should I vote for a bunch of Republican scum bags who attack sustainable transportation such as cycling, tell poor people and those who cant afford health care to fuck off and die, demonizes gay Americans, insult minorities, pushe for religion in schools, mock science, supress gun laws, rig elections, etc…
Edited: California voters and SF voters in particular, overwhelmingly did the strait ticket voting approach and we got a solidly democratic state. California= a great state!
Thank you! This really helps reinforce the opinion that straight ballot voting is a tool for lazy and uninformed voters.
F*** Bull_Winkle, do you have any critical thinking skills? I almost wish we had YaHey back as the donkey troll. At least his arguments weren’t idiotic, just bat f***ing crazy.
96 races… yikes. What’s wrong with making these appointees? In Canada, local/municipal elections typically don’t have party affiliations and you actually need to vote on the issues.
Geez- I only got to vote for Governor, Lt. Governor, and a State Representative who was running unopposed. While I understand your sentiment, I didn’t feel lazy or irresponsible when I pushed the Straight Ticket button.
In this case, I can understand completely. If there’s a manageable number of races on the ballot and you’re confident that the people you want in each of those jobs are all from the same party, then it makes sense as a time saving mechanism.
I think there is a very good reason for having that option, especially if you are voting democrat, you get free fried chicken and you only have to check one box rather than 96. You can get to that finger licking goodness a little quicker that way.