None of the above
By carpenter5
@carpenter5 (6782)
United States
July 20, 2007 8:58pm CST
I read a story on one of the news sites today that said that two Massachusetts lawmakers are proposing a bill that would allow you to check "None of the Above" on a political ballot, if you didn't like any of the candidates.
What do you think about having this option available. Do you think if the law gets passed, that it will spread to other states?
5 responses
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
24 Sep 07
Oh my word. Did he win? I can't help but wonder if he did...where he would have found the staff that would have felt comfortable enough, or worse yet, safe enough to go to work for him.
@houndsgood (774)
• United States
19 Sep 07
You have always had the option to leave it blank if you do not like any of the candidates in a particular race. I think its kind of silly to waste all the time and money to have a "none of the above." I think it promotes the opinion that one should vote by "not voting" rather than becoming an educated voter and researching the candidates thoroughly. There are almost always more than 2 choices in a race and sometimes many more. It takes people off the hook, but at the same downplays how important the right to vote is.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
24 Sep 07
I have to tell you, that I do research the candidates. Completely. I have never voted along party lines, and will not do so in the future. What do you do, if there is a race where neither of the candidates are worth voting for and quite frankly you don't want either of them in office? I guess you could always move.
@houndsgood (774)
• United States
24 Sep 07
I guess what I was really aiming at - is that people already have the option to leave something blank. If on the ballot are school board officials, president, senator, county officials, etc...and you feel strongly enough to vote your choice for senator, but do not think that either of the people up for the school board is a good choice, then you can just leave that match up blank. I think that a lot of money will be spent on research, public relations, etc, to create a third choice so to speak that is already there.
@Willowlady (10657)
• United States
22 Jul 07
I do like that option and there is one sort of already when you write in a candidate. That is good and one that would speak to the politicians. Whether they would listen or not is the other thought. I do hope it comes to be. All options available is what makes our lives more liveable.
Not all laws spread, sometimes that is a really good idea. This one is one I would hope for.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
26 Jul 07
At least in the primaries, I'd be able to vote my conscience! Then I guess I'd have to break down and vote for what my dad calls the "lesser of the two evils". Oh for the days when we actually had a choice that we felt good about.
@texasclassygal (5305)
• United States
21 Jul 07
So why even bother voting?? and if you don't like either one of the candidates than who is going to get voted into office ... just go to show you what taxpayers are truly paying for from our wonderful lawmakers.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
26 Jul 07
This is true. But I sometimes would like the option of letting someone know that I don't like either candidate. I just wish we could get someone with integrity to run, that would tell what they really believed instead of what they think we want to hear.
@mi2ok02 (406)
• United States
24 Jul 07
Interesting. I know now that when you don't want any of the candidates to win, you can write one in and I have heard of people writing in "none of the above" as their choice. I personally think it is a wasted vote to use "none of the above". I would much rather write someone in.
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
26 Jul 07
The year that I was 18, I worked at the polls on election day. I remember getting to help count votes at the end of the day. We had a mayor's race going on that year that had turned very ugly with both candidates bad mouthing the other worse than I've ever heard since. Someone had crossed out both names and written "Bugs Bunny" in the write-in slot.
