# Who do you pick for 3rd place — Nader vs Badnarik **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 2, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473 "2004-11-02T01:49:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [November 2, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/1 "2004-11-02T01:49:53Z")
It’s an underappreciated auxiliary contest… a) If we ignore all the Kerry and Bush votes in each state and pretend we were going to award that state’s electoral votes to the 3rd-place finisher in the US Presidential elections, who’s got the ?270? b) Who wins the 3rd place for popular vote nationwide? I’m going to guess Badnarik because he’s been polling about the same but will appear on more states’ ballots if I understand correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/2 "2004-11-02T01:51:40Z")
Yeah, I figure it’s Badnarik simply because Nader is a caricature at this point. It’s like he’s not even real. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/3 "2004-11-02T01:57:11Z")
I’d guess Badnarik, but of course we won’t know until it’s all over. I know I’m voting for the bad boy, since I live in Indiana and well, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/4 "2004-11-02T02:24:22Z")
Badnarik is on the ballot in 49 states, and Nader is on what, 20 or 30? I think Badnarik has the edge just from that alone. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/5 "2004-11-02T02:27:49Z")
Badnarik, for reasons already mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/6 "2004-11-02T03:04:18Z")
Badnarik. Nader is more covered media-wise, but there are more smarter people than stupid(I hope) Go MIKE! ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/7 "2004-11-02T03:11:27Z")
Badnarik ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/8 "2004-11-02T04:42:01Z")
Badnarik, since he’s on the ballot in twice as many states as Nader. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/9 "2004-11-02T04:46:49Z")
Badnarik. I’d think the same way even if Nader was on the ballot in all states. I know so many people who normally vote Republican who are voting for Badnarik this time. I don’t know anyone who’s voting for Nader, outside of my boyfriend who is writing him in as a protest (I tried to talk him out of it, I really did). I really think old Ralph’s lost it, in more ways than one. What’s the one state that doesn’t have the Libertarians on the ballot? ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/10 "2004-11-02T06:05:06Z")
Badnarik. The media will discuss Nader more. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/11 "2004-11-02T07:49:38Z")
Who the hell is Badnarik?!!?? I think that’s as objective a predictor as anything. Sums it up, unfortunately he hasn’t caused enough controversy or shouted loudly enough. I hate election season. Shows how stupid we all are as a group in decisions based on objectivity and substance. ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/12 "2004-11-02T13:25:15Z")
> [@continuity eror](#): > > What’s the one state that doesn’t have the Libertarians on the ballot? New Hampshire for sure. Status in Oklahoma is in court. Or at least it was on August 27, when the Badnarik website last updated that entry. :rolleyes: [http://badnarik.org/ballotaccess.php](http://badnarik.org/ballotaccess.php) ---
**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:** [November 2, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/13 "2004-11-02T13:30:14Z")
OK, not much difference of opinions cropping up here. Mikey in a landslide. Next question: is there any state in which the Badnarik vote will be thought by aftermath pundits to have affected who does win the state? Or will they all figure that people who voted for Badnarik would not have voted for Bush (or Kerry for that matter) if Badnarik had not been on the ballot, but would have sat this one out or done a write-in? Or, (probably most likely), will they just continue to ignore his existence altogether? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/14 "2004-11-02T13:33:41Z")
> [@continuity eror](#): > > I really think old Ralph’s lost it, in more ways than one. You know, when _Michael Moore_ is questioning your sanity… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-pick-for-3rd-place-nader-vs-badnarik/272473/15 "2004-11-02T13:45:41Z")
I’m hoping Bush takes 3rd place. Right after [HOWARD THE DUCK](http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/news_images/2238_5867_1.jpg). 😃