Who here is planning on staying home in November?

[pstokely]

not me

[Robb]

1. Not unless I vote by mail-in ballot.

:patriot:

[ParkieDem]

2. Me, neither.

Unfortunately, lots of the polls are showing that key Obama demographics (e.g., African-Americans, first-time voters, voters 18-29) are among the most likely to stay home this fall.

[Cal33]

52. Polls could be wrong, too. Why should African-Americans

choose not to vote? It's the first time ever that this nation has an African-American
for president.

[moriah]

67. People don't usually get excited for midterm elections, sadly.

Usually the people who vote for midterm elections are older and more involved in the political process. The Republicans are very good at getting their base to turn out for midterm elections, but historically midterm elections have a much lower turnout overall. They truly are won and lost by turnout.

That's one reason why I generally try to door-knock as much as I can in midterms, to try to get people to come out to the polls. You can look at turnout and votes by precinct in Arkansas from previous elections, and find areas where there are a lot of liberals... I do my best to get them encouraged to come out and vote even if my efforts prod a few Republicans to come out too. I also plan on doing as much phonebanking as I can to reach people who are known Democrats to encourage them to come vote.

[LeftinOH]

3. I will always chose "disappointing" over "unacceptable" -if those are the only choices. n/t

[Aramchek]

4. the Idiots??

[dmallind]

6. Not just the idiots

Also the sock puppets, the provocateurs, the naive and the hopeless dreamers.

BTW voting 3rd party and staying home achieve the exact same results (whether we wish otherwise or not) and so attract the same classes.

[hlthe2b]

5. Will early vote or absentee ballot without a doubt...

(expect to be traveling for work more in November)


I just hope that Dems don't hurt all of us more by staying home. Disappointment is understandable. Giving up is unforgivable.

[Cal33]

53. And just look at what will happen to our country, if and when

we help the Neocons win the presidency again!

[krabigirl]

7. Not me.

[Cyrano]

8. There's a possibility the Republicans might retake the congress.

If we stay home, that possibility becomes a certainty.

Whatever problems I have with the Democratic Party, they're nothing compared to the vicious thugs called the Republican Party.

Does anyone here really want a replay of Cheney/Bush -- or worse?

[mike_c]

9. even if I only go to the polls to vote for marijuana legalization...

...I'll be there! That's one vote I wouldn't miss for ANYTHING! :smoke:

[dana_b]

47. me too!!

If people don't like the candidates, so be it. However there are important propositions to look at - the marijuana prop being one of them. ;)

[sinkingfeeling]

10. I'll probably vote in late October via the early vote option.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. I vote by mail. I'll be voting for the most progressive, anti-war candidates on the ballot.

Even if I have to write them in.

[sandnsea]

12. And who will vote Green, like they always do n/t

[Lost4words]

13. not me, gotta buy groceries and look for work.

I voted last time and I was real pumped, not so much this time but we have a govenors race and I really will vote on that one, but I dont expect for my candidate to win, I am afraid the motivation and momentum is greater on the puke side which is very sad.

[napi21]

14. ZBSOLUTELY NOT! If I don't vote, I should shut up!

[stray cat]

15. Not unless I think the GOP can do a better job! because thats what I'll get if we stay home

[happy_liberal]

16. Are there any Democrats that would actually do that?

I mean please.

That is just a media meme they are pushing to create the propaganda needed to steal the election.

Anyone could see this coming a mile away. Nothing about our fixed elections has been fixed. They let Obama win because they wanted to blame everything on him, which should be clear as day about now.

Now after he takes the blame, they will use it to steal 2010 and 2012.

It is only wishful thinking to believe that this will be a fair election.

[RKP5637]

17. I ALWAYS vote - why give a vote to the GOP. That's ridiculous and foolish. I will

never understand people that sit home on their asses to protest. That does absolutely nothing. It's like peeing in your pants, makes you warm and comfortable.

[w8liftinglady]

18. no way-i may work the polls!

[trayfoot]

19. Not I!

[asdjrocky]

20. Right now, I'm staying home.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

21. Staying home is just silly, because you become invisible to politicians

Personally, I like my Congressman Keith Ellison, and I desperately do NOT want to see the Republicans retain the governorship of Minnesota, especially given the unusually mean and dumb (even by Republican standards) candidate they are running, and I like two out of the three Dems running for endorsement.

But even if all my choices were Republicans (as happens in some districts), I'd still show up and cast a vote for SOMEONE (even a third party or write-in) and urge all my like-minded friends to do the same.

True Story

In Oregon in 1998, there was a suburban state legislative district that was considered so Republicanite that the Dems didn't even run anyone. But the Socialists ran a candidate that year, and he got 20% of the vote. This caused the Dems to take notice and think, "Hmm, maybe the district isn't as far right as we thought." They ran a candidate in 2000, and he came close to winning. They ran the same guy in 2002, and this time, he won. So people showing up and voting caused a district to flip in the course of three elections.

Here are some numbers--

Suppose you have 1000 registered voters in a precinct, but most of them are disgusted with politics and never show up at the polls. It's the same 200 people voting each time. Now suppose Party A takes 120 votes and Party B takes 80 votes. (For this example, it doesn't matter which is D and which is R.) Immediately, Party A will claim a "landslide" and a "mandate," even though only 12% of the electorate cast a ballot for them. The 800 people who did not vote are ignored by both the politicians and the media. No one cares what they think. As far as the pols are concerned, they do not exist except as turnout figures (20% turnout), but the two parties will either consider them too stupid to try to win over or will make erroneous guesses about why they aren't showing up. ("We're too liberal." "They couldn't get off from work.")

Now take the same precinct, only this time, the disgusted voters get together and decide to cast ballots for anyone except Party A and Party B. About 100 of them are ill or out of town, so turnout climbs to 900. Here is how the results break down

Party A 120
Party B 80
Other 700

This "Other" represents a combination of people voting for Greens, Libertarians, Socialists, Natural Law Party, Communists, whatever, and people writing in the names of candidates.

Don't you think the two major parties would sit up and take notice in such a scenario?

[Oregone]

24. BECOME invisible?

:rofl:

[emilyg]

40. We are invisible now.

[KonaKane]

61. Who's "we"? Got a mouse in your pocket?

I'm in the face of my local representatives AND national ones every other week. They know who I am and they know what I think. That's all I can do. It's all anyone can do, unless they run for office.

If you are invisible, it's because you choose to be.

[BeFree]

64. Me too, almost

I am NOT a stay at home participant in democracy.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

65. You don't think the press and everyone else would sit up and take notice

if the votes for the D and the R candidate were outnumbered by the people voting "Other"?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

22. Not me.

I always vote, I never sit out. Who I end up voting for is a whole other matter.

[Oregone]

23. It really doesn't matter to me a ton anymore

[MineralMan]

43. Well, didn't you emigrate to Canada?

Or do you still maintain a US "permanent" residence?

[Oregone]

58. Im a bonafide Canadian resident

Though I still have a home I can't sell in the states. :)

I can still vote, regardless, from abroad.

[MineralMan]

59. Will you be seeking Canadian citizenship at some point?

I'm just curious. Lots of US Citizens have moved there, so I wonder if many are becoming Canadian citizens.

[Oregone]

60. Next year, yes

[annabanana]

25. oh hell no. ...I only have onr vote, but it's mine . . n/t

[asdjrocky]

26. I like what Howard Zinn said about voting-

“If the gods had intended for people to vote, they would have given us candidates”

And I may actually go to the polls just to vote on prop 19 in cali.

[Lilith Velkor]

69. "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal" - Emma Goldman

[Tailormyst]

27. Oh, this shit again........

:eyes:

[Monique1]

31. I not only plan to vote in November

I do plan to vote straight Democratic party. I may be upset with them but no way will the repukes get one single vote from me. I may not like the blue dogs but I don't want to give one vote away to the repukes.

Let me make a little change here, I do plan to vote for one Repulican, a Republican he is and that is Romley here in Az. There is no Democrat running against him. The choice- Romley or Andrew Thomas the Arpio butt kisser. Romley is disliked by Arpio so I do have a choice there.

[Tailormyst]

33. Good for you. Everyone should cast their vote as they see fit.

[Vinca]

28. I'll be going to the polls, of course, but it pains me that I'm back

to voting for the lesser of 2 evils.

[leeroysphitz]

29. I wish there were more parties so I could vote for lesser of 3 or 4 or 5 evils...

[SammyWinstonJack]

57. +1

:evilgrin:

[tekisui]

30. I always vote, but I will likely leave blank my vote for House this year.

[ThomWV]

32. What a silly question to ask of politically active or concerned people

No one here will sit out an election, no one at all.

[moriah]

41. Sadly, some people don't seem to understand that concept....

... You would think that politically active, concerned people would take the time to vote, and not sit out of an election for any reason. Alas, I've seen quite a few posts to the contrary here lately.

It makes me really sad.

[msongs]

34. nope we have a progressive congress candidate who nearly won last time around so

trying to send some loyal opposition to the repubs and the conservadem administration

Msongs

[TheKentuckian]

35. Why would I stay home? I've never missed in my life but my vote is not an entitlement program.

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. I never do

and our county administration race IS important. I want to send that repuke packing.

[blondeatlast]

37. In Arizona? HELL FARKING NOT ME. I'm voting by mail and doing whatever I can

to get Goddard elected governor, a Dem AG, and a Dem Super of Public Instruction.

Jay. B. Us, I will be out there. Are you kidding?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

38. No way.

My vote matters more this election than in 2008.

[mmonk]

39. I plan to vote for Elaine Marshall in November for the Senate.

She is running against the mega corporations and was against the Afghanistan escalation. It's actually exciting to vote for someone who shares your values and politics. Refreshing.

[MineralMan]

42. What? Stay home? Not a chance. There are many things on the

ballot in most places. Staying home makes you irrelevant to all of them.

Staying home is not an option in any election. It's just apathy.

[costahawk1987]

44. No way in hell

I've even gotten a couple friends registered who have never voted before.

[EstimatedProphet]

45. Not me either

[demosincebirth]

46. Never!

[moriah]

48. I plan to not only vote, but to be a poll worker again.

While it will likely be a slower day than when I was one in 2008, I'd be thrilled if it were that busy for a midterm election. :)

[Dappleganger]

49. People who choose not to vote have no excuse to whine.

Participating in the voting process is our DUTY as well as right. A lot of people DIED so that we could have this right, and I don't intend to abuse it by staying home.

[leveymg]

50. Not me. It would be pretty difficult, as I'm a poll watcher.

Not many activists are going to stay away from the polls. But, not many are going to sweat blood in the campaigns getting Blue Dogs elected.

[moriah]

66. Good on you for being a poll watcher! :)

It's always seemed kind of sad to me that it's usually only older people that I see helping with the voting process. In 2008 I was the youngest poll worker by a good 30 years.

As far as Blue Dogs.... at least they're still blue is really all I can say... I've already volunteered to help Blanche Lincoln's campaign -- signed up the day after the runoff -- but I also signed up to help Joyce Elliot and David Whitaker (Joyce is trying to get Vic Snyder's old spot, and David's going for the spot Boozman gave up to run for Senate.) If all three win Arkansas will have kept the party from losing ground in the Senate, and gained it one seat in the House.

In a way, I wish Halter had run for the House instead of the Senate. True progressive candidates have a really hard time running for statewide office here, and most people hadn't really heard of him prior to him announcing against Blanche. If he'd been able to focus his organization on just one of the four districts here, he *would* have gotten a seat, I have no doubt -- and a true progressive would be a definite improvement whether in the House or the Senate.

[tom_paine]

51. not me

though I sure won't be enthused about it

[SargeUNN]

54. I will vote because

not to is stupid and just feeding the forces who are ruining our nation. If someone feels so strongly that the candidates are not worth voting for then they need to run or get those they would support to run. Otherwise they need to quit crying and run themselves. They are quitters not advocates.

[Liberal_in_LA]

55. not me

[BootinUp]

56. Not I

nor my family members we are reliable dem votes here in the reddest part of Georgia.

[ecstatic]

62. Georgia's governor seat may be in play...

for the first time in years. So I will do my part.

[AsahinaKimi]

63. Absentee Ballot comes in the mail...

I alway stay home^^ well, until I trot it out to the mail box.

[iris27]

68. Not me - we have an open Senate seat here, and I want

another Senator Carnahan, NOT a Senator Blunt *shudder*.

[cascadiance]

70. I will give my time to those who support progressive causes! Which might be a different state!

I will fight to get decent local representation, but if the local rep is a corporocrat, I'll spend more time helping those that need support in key races in other areas where we can get better progressive representation if we work at it. At this point voting for those in congress is not just a local battle. We need to make sure collectively that progressives have the best and largest representation moving forward. That would be doing things like sending donations and phone banking for someone like Tarryl Clark who's facing Michele Bachmann, or Clint Curtis down in Southern California, would be excellent to help protect voting rights and get rid of electronic voting fraud. I would think if you live in a place like Arkansas, you'd be better off helping these others than doing anything for Blanche Lincoln, who's probably doomed anyway, and even if she wins, its not like progressives win anything anyway.

[Caretha]

71. Hell no

and even if I'm not all that hepped on what's happening in the Democratic party, I'm for damn sure going to go cancel some friggin teabaggers' vote.

[jp11]

72. I will.

I stay home all the time, I'm not the kind of person that needs or wants to go out all the time.

[femmocrat]

73. No way. I always vote-- every primary and general.

We have Senate and Governor this year. I wouldn't miss it for anything.