2007-08-06 06:58:32 · 28 answers · asked by Enigma 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
It refers to the fact that given current electoral laws, voting for anyone other than one of the two dominant party candidates is a complete waste of time -- your vote is literally not even counted, just as if you had not made it at all.
2007-08-06 07:01:16 · answer #1 · answered by coragryph 7 · 7⤊ 4⤋
I'm older too, 54 here, and have heard that all my life. I figured it meant if you throw something away, like say some speakers or maybe an old tv set, then buy a new one, then the new ones go bad, then you wish you would have kept the old ones for a back up, because they always work. So I kept my old stereo amplifier, that I bought for $39.00 in 1969, and sure enough, my $5000.00 dollar SONY went out last year, one month after the warrantee expired, so I dug out my old $39.00 Realistic amp out of the garage, and guess what? It sounds awesome!!! So waste not, want not- well I guess I did SOMETHING right in my life, we won't bring up all the other stuff.
2016-05-19 22:36:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In my state (California), write-in votes only count when they are for candidates who have officially filed as write-in candidates.
All others are not counted at all; it's as though you didn't vote at all. (Found this out when following up a question here whether I'd vote for Jon Stewart.)
THAT'S "wasting your vote".
A lot of people say that of votes for "candidates who can't possibly win" (third party candidates), but I disagree.
As long as most people feel they have to vote for either Tweedle-Dumb or Tweedle-Dumber, those will be the only choices offered us.
Only when enough people start voting for people or positions they really want or agree with, and the "big two" get less and less of the pie, will we ever really be given any decent choices.
People who vote for someone they really don't want, just because they hate the other more, and feel voting for any of the minor parties is "wasting a vote" are actually feeding the system where the big 2 are both lousy choices.
We'll never get any real choices as long as most voters buy into that myth.
2007-08-06 07:42:09 · answer #3 · answered by tehabwa 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
To me, a wasted vote is one that is based on expediency rather than principle. Your vote is your chance to tell America how you think it should be run regardless of what other people might think, and when you decide to cast it for someone only because you think you might wind up on the winning side then you've wasted that chance. Your voice will not be heard, it will be lost in the cacophany of the two party system that dominates American politics. I have no problem with republicans voting republican. I have no problem with democrats voting democrat. What I think is sad is watching people who agree with neither party casting a vote for them because they don't want to "waste" their vote. And by doing so they become political prostitutes whose votes don't mean a thing. What's a wasted vote to me? An unprincipled vote is the only wasted vote.
2007-08-06 07:30:09 · answer #4 · answered by Bigsky_52 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
To me it doesn't make any sense. If you voted for the person that you wanted, win or lose, you were able to vote for the person that best reflects your beliefs and values. A wasted vote is not voting at all.
2007-08-06 07:01:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
It means voting for someone you know is going to represent us poorly, run our constitution and bill of rights into the ground in the name of "American Pride", spend our hard earned dollar on something we don't want or need (taxation without representation), Just to keep some other schlong out of office who will do the same thing.
Don't vote party, Vote Individuals!!!
2007-08-06 14:32:27 · answer #6 · answered by crazy frog 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
In the '06 Texas state elections, Governor Rick Perry was re-elected with a mere 39% of the votes. Obviously, most people didn't want him as governor again, but instead of coming to a concensus on who they DID want, they split their votes in too many different directions and viola! Rick Perry was re-elected. That's what I call wasting your vote.
2007-08-06 07:12:23 · answer #7 · answered by Bon Mot 6 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Voting for the "lesser of two evils"... an unfortunate reality, particularly at the national level. Also, voting for Congressional representatives who campaigned for change, but instead play 'cave to the chief'.
2007-08-06 07:17:15 · answer #8 · answered by sagacious_ness 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Not exercising one's right to vote at all.
2007-08-06 07:10:52 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
To me it means voting the lesser of two evils as opposed to who you actually want to win. If you don't vote who you want to win and just vote the lesser of two evils what is the point of voting?
2007-08-06 10:53:44 · answer #10 · answered by Stephanie is awesome!! 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋