# Poll: Would you help someone vote for a candidate you hate? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 25, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093 "2008-09-25T00:42:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/41 "2008-09-25T22:16:25Z")
I worked the polls in 2004, and I had a little old lady tell me that she needed help voting for George Bush. You better believe I helped her. My wife and I will be working the polls together this year, and you can bet I’ll do the same thing without hesitation. It’s a duty. Now my wife, she’s mean – I won’t speak for her. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/42 "2008-09-25T23:07:07Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#): > > Low voter turnout is not necessarily a bad thing for the country: the people who don’t really care and like a candidate because he has a nice nose or who would mark ballots randomly if forced to are selecting themselves out of the voter pool. I agree with this. Uniformed and unpersuaded people should not vote. The Low Voter Turn-out is not necessarily a sign of voter apathy; it can be a sign of poor candidate quality. ---
**Author:** ![Caveat\_lector\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@Caveat\_lector\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caveat_lector_1)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/43 "2008-09-25T23:57:33Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > I’m shocked people would take in a bunch of people that oppose your views on what is right. The issues you support must not be important enough to not take someone to vote against them. Maybe you can take a carload that will vote against your cause, that makes little sense. Like I said there’s the mail or someone that supports their candidate. Elections are about getting people that will do what you think is right into office, not the opposite. I think a lot of us look at that the major issue that we support is the idea of democracy and the right to vote. I believe that voting is what makes our country possible and what it is. Politicians rarely give me what I really want anyway so I’ll be damned if I’m going to betray something I consider fundamental to this country for one of them. In fact, if tomorrow I woke up and the U.S. had been taken over by a dictator that believes just as I did and was going to do just what I want I’d still oppose him or her. I value democracy too much to do anything else. I have far more faith in the system than I do politicians and I will do my best to keep that strong. Elections and politicians come and go. The important thing is the framework. ---
**Author:** ![Myrrajh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/87869e/32.png) [@Myrrajh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrrajh)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/44 "2008-09-26T00:04:07Z")
> [@papaw](#): > > In a heartbeat! The right to vote is sacred and my political leanings should not deter another from that right. You said this better than I could! Definitely would. ---
**Author:** ![JustAnotherGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustAnotherGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAnotherGeek)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/45 "2008-09-26T00:07:14Z")
> [@Caveat\_lector\_1](#): > > To me its about rights and its like free speech. You know the whole “I may not like what you have to say, but I’ll die for your right to say it” thing. Word. 'Swat I was going to say. Now, ask me if I’m willing to help my slowly-going senile grandmother to vote when I strongly doubt that she knows anything other than (D) and (R), and I’ll tell you that I’m just glad that no one in the family would ask me to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/46 "2008-09-26T00:07:19Z")
> [@Caveat\_lector\_1](#): > > I think a lot of us look at that the major issue that we support is the idea of democracy and the right to vote. I believe that voting is what makes our country possible and what it is. Politicians rarely give me what I really want anyway so I’ll be damned if I’m going to betray something I consider fundamental to this country for one of them. > > In fact, if tomorrow I woke up and the U.S. had been taken over by a dictator that believes just as I did and was going to do just what I want I’d still oppose him or her. I value democracy too much to do anything else. > > I have far more faith in the system than I do politicians and I will do my best to keep that strong. Elections and politicians come and go. The important thing is the framework. Very well stated. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/47 "2008-09-26T00:13:02Z")
> [@Caveat\_lector\_1](#): > > In fact, if tomorrow I woke up and the U.S. had been taken over by a dictator that believes just as I did and was going to do just what I want I’d still oppose him or her. I value democracy too much to do anything else. > > I have far more faith in the system than I do politicians and I will do my best to keep that strong. Elections and politicians come and go. The important thing is the framework. I was thinking the same thing, but it didn’t come out nearly so well. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/48 "2008-09-26T01:32:10Z")
No one would deny that pollworkers and people working on voter-registration drives or for senior-services organizations should help others to vote, even for candidates they personally find odious. But that wasn’t the OP. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/49 "2008-09-26T08:51:19Z")
Of course I would. Disenfranchisement is worse than a bad candidate. ---
**Author:** ![lynxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e99b99/32.png) [@lynxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynxie)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/50 "2008-09-26T10:05:13Z")
Of course I would. In fact this year I’m sure my husband is rooting for the other guy and I will make sure he goes to the polls! (he often ‘forgets’) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/51 "2008-09-26T11:44:32Z")
> [@Caveat\_lector\_1](#): > > I think a lot of us look at that the major issue that we support is the idea of democracy and the right to vote. I believe that voting is what makes our country possible and what it is. Politicians rarely give me what I really want anyway so I’ll be damned if I’m going to betray something I consider fundamental to this country for one of them. > > In fact, if tomorrow I woke up and the U.S. had been taken over by a dictator that believes just as I did and was going to do just what I want I’d still oppose him or her. I value democracy too much to do anything else. > > I have far more faith in the system than I do politicians and I will do my best to keep that strong. Elections and politicians come and go. The important thing is the framework. That’s some wild ass assumption. Dictatorship? Making up wild stuff doesn’t help you. Where do you see I’m against everyone voting? Sorry but that isn’t in my post anywhere. My views 100% support democracy. Every shut in in this country can vote if they want while never leaving their home. I don’t get how people are being redirected in their thinking to not see this is a competition with big stakes and that it should matter to you if you help defeat your own candidate. I’m not preventing somebody from voting, but I’m not helping them defeat me and the causes I support. This leaves me fully supporting democracy and the right to vote, so I guess this comes down as supporting this major issue as you label it. > [@Caveat\_lector\_1](#): > > I think a lot of us look at that the major issue that we support is the idea of democracy and the right to vote You posted a lot of innuendos that your trying to stick on me, but they are just that innuendos. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/52 "2008-09-26T15:22:06Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > No one would deny that pollworkers and people working on voter-registration drives or for senior-services organizations should help others to vote, even for candidates they personally find odious. But that wasn’t the OP. Sorry, I’ve re-read the OP more carefully. However, it doesn’t change my answer. I think it’s important for EVERYONE to have the opportunity to vote, no matter for whom they’re voting, and I’m not going to leave someone stranded on the side of the road because their vote conflicts with mine. I try to put myself on the other side – what if I was driving to the polls with a Jack Johnson bumper sticker on my car, and I broke down in a neighborhood that was heavily John Jackson territory? How would I feel if everyone refused to help me because I didn’t support their candidate? You give less and more extreme examples than the car breaking down, but I’m probably going to help the person in every circumstance you imagine. If I thought the person would be able to get help from someone that was “on their side” instead, then I might consider passing them off to that person. But if it’s either I help them, or they don’t vote, I’m going to help. I want everyone to have a chance to express his or her opinions. And if I really felt that strongly that candidate John Jackson was going to destroy the country, and he won, I’d consider relocating if I didn’t feel I could help change people’s minds about why he was so wrong. I would write letters. I’d make phone calls. I’d protest. I’d hand out flyers. But I would _not_ refuse to assist a fellow American in casting a vote. ---
**Author:** ![Caveat\_lector\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@Caveat\_lector\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caveat_lector_1)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/53 "2008-09-26T15:38:24Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > That’s some wild ass assumption. Dictatorship? Making up wild stuff doesn’t help you. Where do you see I’m against everyone voting? Sorry but that isn’t in my post anywhere. Where did I say you favor dictatorship? I said that to point our how much I support the system of our values. I also never said you were against the right to vote. What I was trying to point our is that to me the framework of democracy is what allows me to even have a chance to have any say on my issues and I have to actively support it. To me active support is not just exercising my rights but doing my best to make sure others can exercise theirs even if it seems detrimental to me. > [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > My views 100% support democracy. Every shut in in this country can vote if they want while never leaving their home. I don’t get how people are being redirected in their thinking to not see this is a competition with big stakes and that it should matter to you if you help defeat your own candidate. I’m not preventing somebody from voting, but I’m not helping them defeat me and the causes I support. Different people view support in a different way. To me I must take an active role in ensuring not only can I exercise my rights, but I have to make a reasonable effort to make sure others can as well. Also, like I said before, I trust politicians about as far as I can throw them. I’ve never voted for one I’ve liked. I vote for the one I dislike least. My views are very mixed and I’m going to get some of what I want no matter who gets elected, but I doubt I’ll ever get it all. > [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > This leaves me fully supporting democracy and the right to vote, so I guess this comes down as supporting this major issue as you label it. Glad to hear it. > [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > You posted a lot of innuendos that your trying to stick on me, but they are just that innuendos. I really wasn’t thinking about how you thought at all. I was just thinking about how I think. I was not trying to stick anything on you. I’ll be out of town for the next couple of days, but I’ll be happy to discuss this further when I’m back. Its an interesting discussion with points both ways. I’m really not trying to attack you at all. I’m sorry if you feel that way. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/54 "2008-09-26T20:00:03Z")
Absolutely I would. It’s none of my business who someone wants to vote for. If the person in question started babbling about their favorite candidate, Hatey McNastypants, I’d nod right along, get them to the polling place, and take them home. Then I would go inside and quietly eat my heart out. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093/55 "2008-09-27T11:02:21Z")
> [@Caveat\_lector\_1](#): > > Where did I say you favor dictatorship? I said that to point our how much I support the system of our values. I also never said you were against the right to vote. > > What I was trying to point our is that to me the framework of democracy is what allows me to even have a chance to have any say on my issues and I have to actively support it. To me active support is not just exercising my rights but doing my best to make sure others can exercise theirs even if it seems detrimental to me. > > Different people view support in a different way. To me I must take an active role in ensuring not only can I exercise my rights, but I have to make a reasonable effort to make sure others can as well. > > Also, like I said before, I trust politicians about as far as I can throw them. I’ve never voted for one I’ve liked. I vote for the one I dislike least. My views are very mixed and I’m going to get some of what I want no matter who gets elected, but I doubt I’ll ever get it all. > > Glad to hear it. > > I really wasn’t thinking about how you thought at all. I was just thinking about how I think. I was not trying to stick anything on you. > > I’ll be out of town for the next couple of days, but I’ll be happy to discuss this further when I’m back. Its an interesting discussion with points both ways. > > I’m really not trying to attack you at all. I’m sorry if you feel that way. If it’s a generalized statement, you need to not quote somebody before printing it. By adding it to what I said, it becomes insinuated that I represent the opposite of what you declared. I couldn’t let the perception that I supported the exact opposite of what you said go without saying I didn’t. I take your word for it you didn’t mean it that way. No hard feelings I hope. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-help-someone-vote-for-a-candidate-you-hate/465093.md?page=2)