Is voting for a 3rd party a wasted vote?

LOL!

I wasn't going to answer this although I FIRMLY believe it is wasting a vote between the two halves of McBama that is the 'wasted vote' not voting your principles. However, Divine Shadow is simply provocative.

It is BETTER for democracy to cut out all parties but two that hardly differ at all? Rove has nothing on this man for spin.....

Having served in numerous over seas locations where the people there don't have the right to vote or the elections are so corrupt that they are a sham, all I can say is that ANY chance to vote in a free and fair election is never a wasted vote.

People in the US seem to get so wrapped up around the fact that there are two major political parties. Well, take a look back in your own history and you will see that candidates from other parties have served as your President and a few from so called fringe parties have come very close to being elected.

Cast your vote as your conscience dictates and do it proudly. Your candidate may not win but you will have a chance to have your voice heard. Thats a gift that many others in the world would love to share in.

I used to be a democrat, when Regan was elected I decide that although I like him as a actor I did not want him as a President. So, I became an Independent. I felt that I should not make my decision as the Lesser of the two evil votes, but that if a candidate should be right for the country.

My vote is not wasted because now both parties see that there is a very large group of voter that do not have confidence in their abilities and they have to prove us wrong. Which is fine by me, because I want to see a strong, consciences, forward thinking Leader in the most powerful position in the world.

I believe that if you have the right to vote use it and get into your local politics. All public leaders should meet your needs not the other way around. They earn public money and manage tax money they should be equally consciences of where it needs to be spend.

Your vote and voice speaks volumes....

Having served in distinctive over seas places the place the persons there don't have the staggering to vote or the elections are so corrupt that they seem to be a sham, all i'm able to assert is that ANY possibility to vote in a unfastened and trustworthy election is in no way a wasted vote. human beings interior the US seem to get so wrapped up around the actuality that there are 2 important political events. properly, take a glance back on your guy or woman historic previous and you will see that applicants from different events have served as your President and a few from so stated as fringe events have come very on the element of being elected. solid your vote as your judgment of right and incorrect dictates and do it proudly. Your candidate won't win yet you will have a great gamble to have your voice heard. Thats a recent that many others interior the international might incredibly want to share in.

No vote is a wasted vote. There just aren't enough people willing to think for themselves are vote on the issues. Too many people are stuck for voting Democratic or Republican because they choose to label themself as a Dem or Rep. Get over the labels and vote for the person you think will do the best job. Until we can do that, we will continue to be slaves to the party politics and the politicians are the only ones that win.

No, it is not a wasted vote. It is a message that you don't feel adequately represented by the two-party system.

Also, NOT voting is not a wasted opportunity to vote, because by voting, you affirm that you believe the democratic process as it is now is legitimate and effective. If you do NOT feel that it is legitimate and effective, you probably should not vote. Even though your lack of vote will have the same effect on paper as just plain laziness by those who couldn't be bothered to get out of bed to vote, it is not the same thing at all, and abstention can be an admirable action in itself, if done for the right reasons.

if several million people did what you're suggesting then none of those votes would be wasted. Even if you are alone in what you do it is still not wasted. Will they get elected? probably not, but a 3rd party is now ripe for the picking if only enough people could get their heads out of their a$$es and actually think. Yeah, I know.. What a ridiculous concept: Think.

Not at all. Voting isn't (...excuse me... shouldn't) be a popularity contest. Therefore, if someone is closer to your values, that would be the perfect vote for you. Also realize that although your third party representative will not likely win presidency, the third party voters as a whole will take votes away from candidates like Obama and McCain, which you do not agree with. Therefore, your vote isn't going to somebody you don't agree with, but in a sense, it is taking away from somebody you do not agree with. That is why I love the ability to vote.

I think Obama is going to manage the country the way Oprah & allot of his friends have managed their lives. So if you don't vote for him, when we all get our Jetson-mobiles I will e-mail you & say 'no, ye of little faith, gets nothing" ha, ha, Ok, seriously if you can't see what a republican in the white house is for the top 5% of the country & wants to make the other 95% poorer so they will be slaves or the military then vote for anyone you want I am not going to stop you cause nothing anyone in office can do is going to be noticed by you. If all you are voting for is so you can say I told you so & Obama does end up being this evil doer that republicans think he is then vote 3rd party you deserve the right of saying I told you so. yes, it is a wasted vote as far as I am concerned because I want everyone in the 95% bracket & all the non-greedy people in the 5% to vote for Obama.

You have a good point,but I still think it's a wasted vote simply because a third party candidate will never win

I'd rather vote for someone to keep the other party's candidate out of office rather than vote for a third party

Good for you for sticking by your principles though