Voting is precious. But, what does one do if they can not (in good faith) vote for either candidate for President & Commander in Chief?

2016-07-16T08:01:03-04:00

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Jul 16 at 2016 8:05 AM

2016-07-16T08:05:16-04:00

Never been faced with that up until now. Perhaps vote for neither; select a 3d party candidate, there are usually a few on the ballot; write in a name? No easy answer to that one.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2016 8:06 AM

2016-07-16T08:06:09-04:00

Hold this admin accountable

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Jul 16 at 2016 8:07 AM

2016-07-16T08:07:49-04:00

You need to determine which candidate most closely aligns with your world view, positions, desire for the direction of the country etc. I have had to do that in the past and I will have to do that this time around. There are only two candidates that have a chance at winning at this point. Do your homework, vote your conscience and wait for the next cycle.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jul 16 at 2016 10:00 AM

2016-07-16T10:00:34-04:00

There are other choices

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jul 16 at 2016 10:26 AM

2016-07-16T10:26:27-04:00

All the "good faith" piece tells me is the voter is headed to gridlock and has shut down. People shut down because they don't like the potential result. The choice is clear. More of the same or something different. The former is like your old SOB boss. You got used to that old SOB. The later is much more of an unknown and it does take some courage to take the leap. There's a lot of fear about what that may mean. Some of the folk that have told me they're sitting out admit they haven't considered the the type of crowd that would fill out the rest of the Administration, what more liberal vs. conservative membership of the Supremes would mean, etc. In other words, there's a fixation on the individual and not the whole enchilada.

In contracting when faced with either great or not so great pools, you drill down. If you refuse to drill down, you're not doing your job. People essentially decide they won't drill down because of the usual excuses: too hard, no time, won't make a difference, or whatever excuse that makes them feel better. It's human nature. They don't want to feel responsible for the result either way. Regardless of outcome it's incumbent on us to make the result work well. How do you view people who won't contribute and then whine about the result? You don't have to look far; just the bottom of the bell curve in any unit.

Response by Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen made Jul 16 at 2016 10:40 AM

2016-07-16T10:40:13-04:00

Not sure how it works in every state, but there is nothing wrong with leaving a selection blank on the ballot. If you can't in good faith vote for either candidate leave it blank, if your electronic vote checker won't accept that there has to be a write in option, select that and put your own name in. The idea that you can't leave a section blank goes along with the concept that you must vote a straight party ticket when you vote, both totally crazy. A thinking voter can or cannot vote for whichever candidate he/she chooses.

Response by SPC Kirk Gilles made Jul 16 at 2016 11:00 AM

2016-07-16T11:00:23-04:00

Then vote against one of them.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jul 16 at 2016 11:05 AM

2016-07-16T11:05:34-04:00

One votes for the least damaging in order to spare the country from an even worse catastrophe, recognizing that the lesser of the evils is still evil nonetheless.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2016 11:34 AM

2016-07-16T11:34:19-04:00

There are more then just 2 on the ticket. Vote 3rd party if you want to. If enough people are like you then maybe they will become a viable option.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jul 16 at 2016 11:39 AM

2016-07-16T11:39:49-04:00

No human being is perfect and we are never to place our ultimate faith and trust in any government leader Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM. We do best to educate ourselves on the issues and the candidates. It is always best to vote for somebody and not against somebody.
I plan on voting for Donald Trump to be President. I pray that God will have mercy on the people of this nation.

Response by SPC James Harsh made Jul 16 at 2016 11:43 AM

2016-07-16T11:43:10-04:00

Should always vote someone, I like to think the old adage is still true that if you don't vote then you have no right to complain.

Response by CPL Richard Flagg made Jul 16 at 2016 12:47 PM

2016-07-16T12:47:15-04:00

It sure feels like this year won't be the Lesser of Two Evils; but rather the Evil of Two Lessers.

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Jul 16 at 2016 1:21 PM

2016-07-16T13:21:20-04:00

1. Stop being a whiney baby, get up off your butt, pick the best one out of the options, and try to get a better candidate next cycle.
2. Write to your local and national party officials and try to get some mechanism to limit the number of candidates before the next cycle starts. We cause more harm than good having 25 candidates whittle down over the course of 2 years.
3. Work to establish a more viable 3rd party base.
These are just a few of your options.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2016 1:21 PM

2016-07-16T13:21:49-04:00

There are other choices besides Trump and Clinton. If people continue to vote for the lessor of two evils then things will never change. Study ALL the candidates and see which one aligns to you.

Response by PO1 T.M. Ritchie made Jul 16 at 2016 5:09 PM

2016-07-16T17:09:19-04:00

Don't vote..

Response by SSG Gerhard S. made Jul 16 at 2016 5:30 PM

2016-07-16T17:30:27-04:00

One can consider the Libertarian candidate if one is a constitutionally minded freedom lover.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2016 5:40 PM

2016-07-16T17:40:43-04:00

Look at third party candidates, there are many fine men and women who run for political office outside of the current two party system, either as independent, libertarian, green, constitution or other political affiliation. The Dems and Reps work very hard to keep many of these people off the ballots but even if they are not specifically listed you can always write in a candidate. Do some research into third party candidates and see if you feel if any of them are up to the task. A lot of people say that voting third party is a wasted vote, but I don't see it that way. In fact if all the people who don't vote because they don't like either candidate voted third party instead the Dem and Rep parties would not hold nearly as much power as they do now.

Response by 1LT Matt Messa made Jul 16 at 2016 5:58 PM

2016-07-16T17:58:09-04:00

Gary Johnson and Bill Weld. Libertarians! They support gay and lesbians protecting their marijuana fields with automatic weapons. The ultimate in staying out of people's business. The other parties both either want in your pocket or your bedroom.

Response by SGT Paul Lux made Jul 16 at 2016 8:22 PM

2016-07-16T20:22:13-04:00

If you can't, in clear conscience, vote for either, then you are always allowed to skip a race and leave it blank. The remainder of your properly-marked races will count.

Response by SPC Ryan Dostie-Osenko made Jul 16 at 2016 10:40 PM

2016-07-16T22:40:37-04:00

Vote third party (Go, Gary Johnson!). There are several other options besides the traditional two party system. While said parties may not win (though I'm hopeful with Johnson), you can still sleep at night knowing you voted for someone you believe in and agree with. I'm so done with voting for the lesser evil.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Jul 17 at 2016 1:52 AM

2016-07-17T01:52:58-04:00

Start with what you believe, then find who most closely aligns, then vote for them. This should help:http://www.isidewith.com/political-quiz
Remember that voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil.

How Republican vs Democrat are you?

This short test can tell exactly where you align.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jul 17 at 2016 3:02 AM

2016-07-17T03:02:09-04:00

As much as I hate to say it, you vote for the lesser of the two evils. I do not really want to see President Trump, HOWEVER the idea of a Presidnet Hillary Clinton is too horrid to contemplate. SO I will vote for Trump because Hillary....well, Hillary can NOT be President.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jul 19 at 2016 11:53 AM

2016-07-19T11:53:07-04:00

Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM You need to research them more and make a decision - its your right and duty as a citizen of this great country! I'll vote come hell or high water! Add a picture Kim and you'll get more traffic!

Response by Col Dona Marie Iversen made Jul 19 at 2016 12:14 PM

2016-07-19T12:14:36-04:00

Do your homework, listen to all views/opinions from now until Nov. Who will do best for American? Who do you want as a tax paying citizen? Who do you want as the Commander in Chief? You know the history of HRC. You will then make the best decision on polling day...

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Jul 19 at 2016 1:06 PM

2016-07-19T13:06:43-04:00

Life is all about decisions. If you don't vote then you've let yourself down, along with the rest of your Brothers/Sisters-in-Arms. We've all made decisions in our careers which didn't seem right at the time because of the choices we had, we bucked up and completed the mission. Now it's time to put that "MC" on the travel voucher.

Response by SPC Michael Griggs made Jul 21 at 2016 5:25 PM

2016-07-21T17:25:51-04:00

The way I see it, we have a known and an unknown value for an equation. The known value has extreme negative results. The unknown may have positive results in some areas and negative results in others. I see my vote at a minimum as a 4 year place holder for Trump, while keeping my fingers crossed and hoping he out performs my expectations.

Response by SSgt Brad Ball made Jul 22 at 2016 3:06 PM

2016-07-22T15:06:05-04:00

I have pondered on this for a few days. What is most important to our country is the Supreme Court appointments over the next four years. These judges will for the destiny of our country as much as any president.You may not like either candidate but we should look outside the presidential vote and go with our gut for the Supreme Court justices. I was very hopeful for Cruz but now will pull for Trump.Clinton will ruin US!

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Jul 23 at 2016 10:21 AM

2016-07-23T10:21:00-04:00

Voting is a responsibility of all citizens, heck even non-citizens see the value of voting. I always vote for the Presidential candidate that most closely meets what I believe in as far as the future of our nation that I will leave for my kids and grandkids And that means I have voted for some real losers.

Response by SP5 Tony Lobello made Jul 28 at 2016 2:19 PM

2016-07-28T14:19:36-04:00

If, in good conscience, you cannot decide whom to vote for, or you decide against both, then you must rely on whom the rest of us vote for. REMEMBER: We took an oath to defend the Constitution. Whomever is POTUS is there because of the Constitution and can be replaced by vote or longevity of term (2 4 year terms). It is the Constitution, not the office holder, we are committed to preserving.

Response by Maj John Bell made Jul 30 at 2016 1:45 AM

2016-07-30T01:45:54-04:00

Hmmm, maybe tequila?