# Share your dirty little Election Day secrets
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [November 6, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076 "2012-11-06T14:00:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/1 "2012-11-06T14:00:12Z")
Putting this in MPSIMS because it really is mundane and pointless, but if it needs to get moved to Elections then so be it.
Here’s mine: I voted for Nader in 2000. Living in a predominantly red state, I figured voting for Gore would be pointless. So I voted for the Green Party in the hopes that maybe they could pull a high enough percentage of the vote that they could get Federal matching funds in the next election. Of course, that didn’t work either. 😃
What’s yours?
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/2 "2012-11-06T14:46:25Z")
I once voted for a Republican. That’s because the Democrat was a reprehensible little shit.
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### Author:  [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/3 "2012-11-06T14:48:34Z")
I cast two write in votes for a family member. No one has declared candidacy for those minor local offices. I wonder what will happen my votes are the only ones. Not sure she would accept if elected.
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### Author:  [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/4 "2012-11-06T14:49:32Z")
The very first time I was eligible to vote at the tender age of eighteen, I voted for Nixon. I haven’t felt clean since.
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### Author:  [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/5 "2012-11-06T15:02:00Z")
Three words
Henry
Ross
Perot
In hindsight, I should have cast a write in vote for my roomie’s dad, he was offering a buck a vote.
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### Author:  [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/6 "2012-11-06T15:03:17Z")
My husband and I are saving time, gas money, and taxpayer expense by not voting: we disagree on every single candidate (including city council and an amendment,) so we’d just cancel out one another’s ballots. I know it sounds lazy and unpatriotic and all, but what would be the point?
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/7 "2012-11-06T15:09:07Z")
> [@tdn](#):
>
> I once voted for a Republican. That’s because the Democrat was a reprehensible little shit.
Same here. I mean a Republican over a Democrat. There are often judgeships and other offices where I vote where it’s not unusual to see a Republican running against a Libertarian and that’s all, and I’d never vote Libertarian.
But one time as I was driving to my polling place in Texas, the Democratic candidate for some office – don’t even remember which office – came on over my car radio spewing this racist filth about how Blacks – I think he used “coloreds” – needed to be kept in line. I voted for his Republican opponent. I think the Dem won, not sure. But this was back when Texas still always voted Democratic.
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### Author:  [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/8 "2012-11-06T15:09:54Z")
Bob Dole, 1988 primaries. I was not a Bush Sr fan, although these days he looks positively statesmanlike. I think I eventually voted for Dukakis but it was more an anti-Bush vote than pro-Dukakis.
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### Author:  [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/9 "2012-11-06T15:27:29Z")
> [@swampbear](#):
>
> The very first time I was eligible to vote at the tender age of eighteen, I voted for Nixon. I haven’t felt clean since.
Yeah, me too. I was dumb and didn’t know any better!! I’m so ashamed.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/10 "2012-11-06T15:36:31Z")
I used to always change my party affiliation so that my primary vote would mean something.
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### Author:  [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/11 "2012-11-06T16:33:12Z")
When I first voted in 1996 (I actually turned 18 on election day!), I wrote in Ralph Nader. I didn’t like either Clinton or Dole. No biggie…
But I did the same thing in 2000. Doh! :smack:
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### Author:  [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/12 "2012-11-06T16:39:24Z")
A dear friend of mine is running for a local school board office. She is a lovely lady, but I think she would be a terrible board member… she’s so impractical! Shhhh… don’t tell her I didn’t vote for her.
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### Author:  [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/13 "2012-11-06T16:41:05Z")
I’ve worked at the polls for more elections than I’ve actually voted in.
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### Author:  [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/14 "2012-11-06T16:48:02Z")
I voted Green Party in 2004. I almost voted Green Party (Jill Stein) again this year, but changed my mind at the last minute. When I woke up this morning I was still not sure who I was going to vote for.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/15 "2012-11-06T16:50:54Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#):
>
> When I woke up this morning I was still not sure who I was going to vote for.
Yeah, during the primaries four years ago, I pretty much did an “eenie meenie miny moe” between Barack and Hillary.
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### Author:  [@Cryptic\_C62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cryptic_C62)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/16 "2012-11-06T17:14:55Z")
I don’t vote. Not because I’m in another country / underage / left-handed / whatever. I choose not to vote.
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### Author:  [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/17 "2012-11-06T17:31:36Z")
Sigh… I’d really like to see the Green Party become a viable third party, so…
> [@Shoeless](#):
>
> I voted for Nader in 2000. Living in a predominantly red state, I figured voting for Gore would be pointless. So I voted for the Green Party in the hopes that maybe they could pull a high enough percentage of the vote that they could get Federal matching funds in the next election. Of course, that didn’t work either. 😃
Same, but in a solidly blue state.
> [@llcoolbj77](#):
>
> When I first voted in 1996 (I actually turned 18 on election day!), I wrote in Ralph Nader.
Yup. I felt so subversive! :rolleyes:
> [@olivesmarch4th](#):
>
> I almost voted Green Party (Jill Stein) again this year
I considered it strongly, although I never quite decided to do it.
And… there’s a referendum on the local ballot that I agree with philosophically, but I think it’s a poorly-thought-out approach, and may end up costing the state more money. My husband feels the same way, and that’s why he’s not voting for it. I told him I wouldn’t vote for it either, but I changed my mind this morning. I decided it’s better to start down the right road in the wrong vehicle than not at all. Sorry, honey!
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### Author:  [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/18 "2012-11-06T17:43:13Z")
My son was born on the eighth of November, 1992, although my original due date was nearly three weeks earlier. When I hauled my hugely pregnant self out of the car at the high school that was my polling place, I was dismayed to see hundreds of people in line.
I faked contractions. I didn’t fall to the ground writhing or anything, I just let a look of vague alarm cross my face as I put one hand on my stomach while looking at my watch. The people nearest me started to notice and grew concerned, asking if I needed an ambulance or ride to the closest hospital. I reassured them that the pains were just starting and still 10-15 minutes apart, and that I was going to stay right there as I really really wanted to vote.
I was hustled to the front of the line immediately, cast my vote and left. :o
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### Author:  [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/19 "2012-11-06T17:44:37Z")
> [@Shoeless](#):
>
> Here’s mine: I voted for Nader in 2000. Living in a predominantly red state, I figured voting for Gore would be pointless. So I voted for the Green Party in the hopes that maybe they could pull a high enough percentage of the vote that they could get Federal matching funds in the next election. Of course, that didn’t work either. 😃
I campaigned for Nader in Florida. Other people look back on foolish things they did as teenagers and regret getting knocked up, or a stupid tattoo or bullying some poor nerdy classmate.
I’m pretty sure the Iraq War is my fault.
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### Author:  [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-dirty-little-election-day-secrets/640076/20 "2012-11-06T17:48:59Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#):
>
> I voted Green Party in 2004. I almost voted Green Party (Jill Stein) again this year, but changed my mind at the last minute. When I woke up this morning I was still not sure who I was going to vote for.
Oh wow…It’s so good to hear this, I thought it was just me…
Actually I’m still planning on voting for Stein, that has been my plan for awhile but I’m waffling now that Romney is spending money advertising in NY, probably going for a close popular vote.
I’ll make my final decision while I’m in line, I’m sure.
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