# If the election was shown to be rigged would you want a do-over? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 27, 2017, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316 "2017-01-27T15:56:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/21 "2017-01-27T18:10:16Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Good god, no!! > > The precedent of re-doing an election would be a new avenue for knuckleheads and partisans to challenge EVERY election in perpetuity. This. So very much this. That’s as a republican who didn’t vote for Trump and would have supported any of the other major candidates from either party over him. The process was monitored and certified under the supervision of both parties in accordance with the law. Those results were certified. Making up a new “process” on the fly to deal with situations not currently covered in the law or the constitution is a pretty clear case of the cure being worse than the disease IMO. It’s maybe not quite as bad as treating a toothache with a 12 gauge shotgun… maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/22 "2017-01-27T18:10:46Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > by do-over, do you mean with the same candidates? or throw the whole thing out and start over at the primaries (with possibly different nominees?) To save time and heartache-same two candidates. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/23 "2017-01-27T18:22:22Z")
Then no do-over. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/24 "2017-01-27T18:31:32Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That makes sense, if it can be shown that the sitting president had no knowledge of the rigging prior to the investigation. But an Impeachment is the only constitutional mechanism provided for something resembling a do-over. A pure do-over of the election is much worse IMO than any results of a hacked election. You can’t unpop the balloon. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/25 "2017-01-27T18:51:46Z")
The only way to get a do over is to impeach. This puts Paul Ryan in as President. How is that better? As was once said “It’s Republicans all the way down!” > **[United States presidential line of succession](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_line_of_succession)** > > The United States presidential line of succession is the order in which the vice president of the United States and other officers of the United States federal government assume the powers and duties of the U.S. presidency (or the office itself, in the instance of succession by the vice president) upon an elected president's death, resignation, removal from office, or incapacity. > The order of succession specifies that the office passes to the vice president; if the vice presidency is simultan... ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/26 "2017-01-27T18:54:16Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The only way to get a do over is to impeach. Not according to the guy who devised the hypothetical question in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/27 "2017-01-27T18:56:02Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > But an Impeachment is the only constitutional mechanism provided for something resembling a do-over. A pure do-over of the election is much worse IMO than any results of a hacked election. You can’t unpop the balloon. For the purposes of this thread, the unpopping of balloons(election do-overs) are allowed. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/28 "2017-01-27T20:11:04Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > For the purposes of this thread, the unpopping of balloons(election do-overs) are allowed. Yes, but if you can unpop the balloon once you can threaten to do so any time someone doesn’t like the results of a election. Which is pretty much every election. There are some things in life that are definitive, and presidential elections fall into that category. For better or worse, the election is over. Assuming we had a magic wand I would vote (ha!) not to use it. We already have a better remedy without the awful long term consequences. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/29 "2017-01-27T20:22:43Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That makes sense, if it can be shown that the sitting president had no knowledge of the rigging prior to the investigation. Trump said, on numerous occasions, that the election was rigged. Sounds to me like he had prior knowledge. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/30 "2017-01-27T20:29:18Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Yes, but if you can unpop the balloon once you can threaten to do so any time someone doesn’t like the results of a election. Which is pretty much every election. There are some things in life that are definitive, and presidential elections fall into that category. For better or worse, the election is over. Assuming we had a magic wand I would vote (ha!) not to use it. We already have a better remedy without the awful long term consequences. I think the OP was pretty clear that this is in the hypothetical case where large-scale fraud was found and **verified** to be true, not just people getting pissy just because the election didn’t go their way. besides, don’t Parliamentary systems allow for another election if the previous one doesn’t result in a workable government? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/31 "2017-01-27T20:33:14Z")
Actually rigged, as in “the results published do not have much factual correspondence with how people actually voted” or “there was active material interference in the ability of duly registered citizens to cast their votes” or something of that ilk? Not merely “disinformation was promulgated and it appears to have affected stupid and credulous people in their voting behavior”? Damn right, do it over. I hate the outcome of the race. If that outcome was legitimately attained, I have to live with it, but if it _wasn’t_ then let’s try this thing again. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/32 "2017-01-27T21:49:44Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Define “rigged”. Because “Russian hackers told the truth” doesn’t do it for me. But if it turns out the voting machines were tampered with, vote-counters were secretly Trump stooges, etc., then I’d want to re-do. But I highly doubt that was the case, as it would be far more difficult to pull off than, say, faking the moon landings or the government carrying out the 9-11 attacks. I tend to agree. I think the actual election-tampering was done in/to the minds of voters, not the mechanism itself. However, I would still want a redo now that people have gotten a chance to see the Great Orange Menace in action. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/33 "2017-01-28T02:23:02Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > I tend to agree. I think the actual election-tampering was done in/to the minds of voters, not the mechanism itself. However, I would still want a redo now that people have gotten a chance to see the Great Orange Menace in action. That’s called 2020. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/34 "2017-01-28T02:46:21Z")
If it could be shown that Trump and Pence broke the law, I would want them to be impeached and removed from office. Paul Ryan would then become the President. I can’t see any circumstance in which I would want a special election. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/35 "2017-01-28T03:03:19Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > If it could be shown that Trump and Pence broke the law, I would want them to be impeached and removed from office. Paul Ryan would then become the President. > > I can’t see any circumstance in which I would want a special election. Sweet Jesus, that guy looks like a crook. ---
**Author:** ![igor\_frankensteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/839c29/32.png) [@igor\_frankensteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igor_frankensteen)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/36 "2017-01-28T22:49:14Z")
I’m even wary of labeling myself Independent these days, since that label has become associated with alt-right and other psychotics. If tampering is found, I will need to know the exact details and specifics of the tampering. Who arranged it. Why they did. Who knew they did. And so on. If Trump won, and wasn’t in on it, because someone else wanted Clinton to lose, that makes a difference. I’m sorry that Trump won, but I’m not sorry Clinton lost. ---
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/37 "2017-01-28T23:04:13Z")
No do-over. Not only is there no Constitutional mechanism for such, but it would create a terrible precedent – we’d have constant complaints/arguments about election “rigging” no matter who won from now on. It sucks that Trump won (though great that Hillary didn’t), we need to move on from that to figuring out how best to stop the worst of the bullshit that he’s going to try to ram through. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/38 "2017-01-29T02:32:04Z")
Even if we find out that Trump did rig the election, a do-over would be a disaster. Instead, impeach his ass…that’s the mechanism. AFAIK there is no mechanism for a do-over and it seems to me it would set a really bad precedent. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/39 "2017-01-29T03:25:12Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Even if we find out that Trump did rig the election, a do-over would be a disaster. Instead, impeach his ass…that’s the mechanism. AFAIK there is no mechanism for a do-over and it seems to me it would set a really bad precedent. Once again, for the purpose of this hypothetical, it would be allowed. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316/40 "2017-01-29T05:22:31Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Once again, for the purpose of this hypothetical, it would be allowed. As long as we are suspending reality, would Obama be allowed to run again? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-election-was-shown-to-be-rigged-would-you-want-a-do-over/778316.md?page=3)