Is it possible to throw a vote away?

Question

I realize that as Americans we are almost obsessed with winning but if you place a vote and your candidate does not win did you throw that vote away? I think that the only vote that gets thrown away is a vote that is not placed. As long as you are voting for a person who has your interests in mind why would you vote for anyone else? I think that you may be throwing your vote away if you do not vote for someone because popular media or your friends tell you that they could not get elected. The only way you win in an election is to vote for the guy who has you in mind all of the time. Not the corporations.

Answer 1

Yeah, vote for a Republican.

Answer 2

Every vote is important even when it was not for the winning candidate because it contributes in choosing the winner.

Answer 3

Have you heard of the 2000 election with Florida???

Answer 4

Elections are a fine bit of political theater, and voting is the price of admission, but as they say: "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal."

Answer 5

The only vote that's thrown away is the one for Mickey Mouse, or one not cast. If you vote for who you'd like to win, and they don't, well at least you did your civic duty.

Answer 6

As long as you vote your mind than you didn't throw it away.

Answer 7

I agree with you.  I think it -is- possible to throw a vote away, for instance by writing in Mickey Mouse.  But even that vote shows our political leaders that you weren't happy with any of the choices and you were willing to say so.

I voted for Ross Perot in 1992.  I knew he couldn't win, and actually I don't think he would have made a good president anyway.  But Perot ran his entire campaign based on our growing debt and deficit spending.  I thought if he got 10% of the vote, then whoever -did- become president might take the hint and work to balance the budget.

And I got my way!  Clinton was the ONLY president since the 60s who actually tried to lower deficits.  He had us on track towards a balanced budget.  Reagan and Bush41 made a big deal of cutting taxes but Clinton was the only one who actually lowered -my- taxes.  He even cut spending!  Sadly, when Bush43 came into office his first priority was to destroy all the work Clinton had done.

So I don't consider my vote thrown away.  Clinton was a shoe-in in my state anyway, so voting for him would have been throwing my vote away!

Answer 8

Some people think that the only way to go is with the popular vote.....  Especially in the primaries and in the local elections your vote counts very much.  I the Presidential elections it may seem that one vote one way or another can't make much of a difference but it does.  If everyone actually voted for the candidate that THEY wanted rather than what the media told them was popular, maybe this country would be a little better off.  I also feel the only wasted vote is the one not used.

Answer 9

it depends on how you define thrown away. If the candidate you prefer has no real chance of winning then you have used your vote as you are entitled to do, but without a chance of winning it wont really affect the outcome .

There are systems of voting that allow a 1,2,3 method , so if your number 1 choice is last when votes are counted then his votes go to the number 2 choice , and so on until there is a winner .

Answer 10

any vote for obama and edwards is a vote thrown away

Answer 11

By NOT voting you are Throwing your Vote away.

I also feel a PROTEST vote is Throwing your Vote away....some may not agree but, I feel if you vote for a Candidate that doesn't have a chance in h**l, just to show you don't like  'any Front runners, others'.....I believe you have wasted your Vote...just m-h-o!