# ...who do you vote for in a three-way race?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [February 17, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086 "2020-02-17T21:02:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/41 "2020-02-24T16:22:19Z")

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> [@CarnalK](#):
>
> Sure a third party could win. We’re all just taking wild guesses, remember!

That’s true! I’m just amazed that anyone who’s prioritizing “must beat Trump!” would have a wild guess different than mine with regards to whether or not to vote 3rd party.

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**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/42 "2020-02-24T16:40:31Z")

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> [@iiandyiiii](#):
>
> I’m just amazed that anyone who’s prioritizing “must beat Trump!” would have a wild guess different than mine with regards to whether or not to vote 3rd party.

Ditto. If someone’s choosing between voting Dem or voting 3rd party - regardless of who the Dem nominee is or who the 3rd party candidate is - their vote for a 3rd party candidate makes it easier for Trump to win another four years.

Why would they do that, if they don’t want Trump to win?

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**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/43 "2020-02-24T16:43:15Z")

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> [@Velocity](#):
>
> Which Democratic candidate(s) would be better, that aren’t running yet?

Brian Schatz.

And of course, a bunch of candidates who ran and have already dropped out: Inslee, Harris, Gillibrand, Castro.

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**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/44 "2020-02-24T16:55:39Z")

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I’ll note that I would reluctantly vote the Democrat in the reverse of this scenario - if Bloomberg won the nomination, somehow, and Bernie ran 3rd party. It’s imperative to vote for the Democrat if you want to beat Trump.

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**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:** [February 25, 2020, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/45 "2020-02-25T04:35:03Z")

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Bear in mind, too, that some states (including Ohio) have “sore loser” laws prohibiting candidates who ran and lost in a partisan primary from appearing again on the ballot in the fall.

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