# Why "Elections" Forum and not simply Politics/Governmental? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 13, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275 "2018-09-13T16:50:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/1 "2018-09-13T16:50:29Z")
It seems to me the forum marked “elections” is much more than that. Seems it is more about politics and government in general. Just asking… ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/2 "2018-09-13T16:53:17Z")
Moved to ATMB. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/3 "2018-09-13T17:29:08Z")
Here was my previous take on the topic, and remains unchanged: > [@Proposal: change "Elections" to "Current Events"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-change-elections-to-current-events/792175/18): > > Here are my personal thoughts, for what it’s worth. I already view Elections as a mash up of current events that are political in nature among other topics. Ongoing threads about Trump and Russians, political dynasties, general political strategies and tactics, etc. are like this and I think that’s fine. The forum description does say “political news”. > > This accurately reflects my approach: > > > [@](#): > > > > Great Debates: For long-running discussions of the great questions of our time. This is also the place for religious debates and (if you feel you must) witnessing. > > > > Elections: For discussion of elections and electoral politics, including strategy and tactics, political parties, individual races, political news, and politicians and public figures. > > > > We recognize the difficulty of disentangling electoral politics from larger issues of public policy, and leave it to the discretion of users whether to start political threads in Elections or Great Debates. We’re not interested in making work for ourselves and - except in cases of grossly inappropriate topics - or (within reason) requests by the OP will not move threads. Users are free to debate which type of posts should go in what forum, but don’t expect us to settle these arguments. We reserve the right to close threads or take other appropriate steps if SDMB rules are violated. > > I try not to move threads unless it’s obvious they don’t belong. I think there will always be the possibility of duplicate threads in the Pit vs. other fora since the Pit rules are so different. But beyond Pit threads, having the threads go in the right place is mostly about organization and ease of readability, so I don’t find the idea of misplaced threads to be a big deal, excluding moves to the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/4 "2018-09-13T17:30:43Z")
Sorry Colibri, I though I was in ATMB, damn “sometimers” kicked in. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/5 "2018-09-13T17:52:16Z")
The forum started in the wake of a contentious United States National election. We thought originally we’d probably have this around for a while and then no one would care after the election was over and we’d close it. That’s not exactly what happened (though some have requested it) and the forum has persisted. There’s been opinions expressed that the name needed to be changed but we’re kinda curmudgeons about this sort of thing and have resisted changes. Keep in mind that for a long time we thought we could cover the entire universe with two forums: “Comments On Cecil’s Columns” and 'General Questions," so this is actually pretty good for us, considering. 😃 Jenny your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**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:** [September 13, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/6 "2018-09-13T18:32:57Z")
> [@ThisSpaceForRent](#): > > It seems to me the forum marked “elections” is much more than that. > Seems it is more about politics and government in general. > > Just asking… The forum description says: “For discussion of elections and electoral politics, including strategy and tactics, political parties, individual races, political news, and politicians and public figures.” It wouldn’t bother me to change the name to “Politics”. We had a huge flurry of “wrong forum” action right after the 2016 US presidential election, but I think it was more about moving things out of Elections rather than into it. Lots of threads moved to the Pit, IIRC. Otherwise, though, folks seem to figure things out OK. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2018, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/7 "2018-09-13T18:43:43Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > The forum started in the wake of a contentious United States National election. As I recall, it was originally for discussion of the 2010 midterm elections. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/8 "2018-09-13T19:01:21Z")
This dead horse seems to get beaten every 6 months or so. Just like how MPSIMS also covers things that aren’t mundane, such as deaths of a loved one. The Elections forum generally has a relatively small group of SDMB members and we mostly know what type of threads would do best there. I’d say just leave it as it is. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/9 "2018-09-13T21:37:34Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > This dead horse seems to get beaten every 6 months or so. Just like how MPSIMS also covers things that aren’t mundane, such as deaths of a loved one. I’m waiting for someone to complain that people are asking specific questions in General Questions. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/10 "2018-09-13T21:58:15Z")
My opinion is that changes and ideas are actually being considered and addressed here, so why not now? Especially if it would help new posters know where they were. Change the name to Politics. My two cents. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/11 "2018-09-14T01:11:52Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > There’s been opinions expressed that the name needed to be changed but we’re kinda curmudgeons about this sort of thing and have resisted changes. Keep in mind that for a long time we thought we could cover the entire universe with two forums: “Comments On Cecil’s Columns” and 'General Questions," so this is actually pretty good for us, considering. Considering you actually created the new forum so a new one isn’t necessary, changing the name to help guide posters is a teeny tiny step comparatively. Hey, this might be the only thing in the history of ATMB that everybody agrees about! OK, almost everybody. That’s pretty good, considering. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/12 "2018-09-14T04:31:59Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I’m waiting for someone to complain that people are asking specific questions in General Questions. 😉 Now that you mention it ------------ What amazes me is that people so often provide the information in the next couple posts. Sheesh – how are we going to keep them coming back by actually answering their questions earlier than Page Two? 😛 As for the OP here ----- I always took it more as general politics often being more a GD with some points being more IMHO. Elections always struck me for actual candidates and events that may effect what happens at the polls or at least relates more closely to that point in time. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/13 "2018-09-14T19:09:13Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I’m waiting for someone to complain that people are asking specific questions in General Questions. 😉 In what way, shape or form do you feel I was complaining? I was asking a fucking question. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-elections-forum-and-not-simply-politics-governmental/821275/14 "2018-09-14T19:55:18Z")
> [@ThisSpaceForRent](#): > > In what way, shape or form do you feel I was complaining? I was asking a fucking question. Ah, but is it a _general_ fucking question or a _specific_ fucking question? It could be a _Pacific_-fucking question if you wanted to get wet, I suppose.