# Is any group apt to "sit out" the November US election for any reason?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-any-group-apt-to-sit-out-the-november-us-election-for-any-reason/438463>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 21, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-any-group-apt-to-sit-out-the-november-us-election-for-any-reason/438463 "2008-02-21T00:12:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![arborist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@arborist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arborist)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-any-group-apt-to-sit-out-the-november-us-election-for-any-reason/438463/1 "2008-02-21T00:12:47Z")

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We hear perhaps the far right. Or Nader supporters in states he won’t qualify for.  
Or . . . ?

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**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-any-group-apt-to-sit-out-the-november-us-election-for-any-reason/438463/2 "2008-02-21T00:19:53Z")

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Is Nader actually running? What a putz.

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**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-any-group-apt-to-sit-out-the-november-us-election-for-any-reason/438463/3 "2008-02-21T00:27:35Z")

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People threaten to leave this party and that party all the time if this person is elected or that person…But I don’t think we can name a certain group has having a higher propensity to do it than any other. I know who I’m voting for if my number 1 is not nominated.

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**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-any-group-apt-to-sit-out-the-november-us-election-for-any-reason/438463/4 "2008-02-21T00:36:10Z")

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I would vote for Hillary Clinton over McCain, but I’d much rather vote for Obama.

I hear some people say they won’t vote for Obama, EVER, but I think tempers will calm down. There’s a sense among Clinton supporters that she deserves this, and the resentment/belittlement/anger towards Obama supporters is largely an aspect of Clinton’s symbolism as First Woman President. I can’t see those people voting for McCain. I think by November many of them (even a certain poster here) will realize that it’s not Obama’s fault, nor the media’s fault, that Hillary ran a shitty campaign.

If Clinton wins the nomination, I think there will be some independents drawn to Obama who would vote for McCain instead, or sit it out. In fact, I know several such people who absolutely hate Hillary Clinton far beyond what I understand, even given her recent bullshit.

I also think a lot of young people and African Americans are excite by Obama, and will not bother to vote in a McCain vs. Clinton election. Not so much “sitting it out,” as just not showing up because they wouldn’t have shown up for anyone but Obama.