Hatrack River Forum: Hypothetical:

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Posted by BookWyrm (Member # 2192) on :

Suppose they had an election and nobody cast a vote?

I've heard a LOT of complaining (particularly on other boards) about how Kerry and Bush, out of ALL the people in the US are the best each party could come up with.

Suppose that the population were to protest the lack of choices by NOT voting. What would happen then?

Posted by Mr.Funny (Member # 4467) on :

Then the people who didn't go along with not voting would have all the say. Personally, I think that the best way to protest both of the candidates would be to write in or vote for a third party instead.

Posted by BookWyrm (Member # 2192) on :

That wasn't part of the hypothetical. NO one votes.

My question. My rules [Smile]

Call it an exercise in impossibility. I KNOW that will never happen, but as a way to make people think of outcomes other than the same ole same ole.

*I* thought the question an interesting, thought provoking one anyway. /shrug

Posted by CStroman (Member # 6872) on :

Then the one person smart enough to vote, gets to take credit for deciding who governs over all of us.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

For noboby to vote, nobody could run, because after all, the candidates vote for themselves.

Yes, I know that I am ignoring the particular of your question.

Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :

If no living American voted, we'd be surprised how many of the dead actually turn in votes each year.

Remember, voting is your duty. Vote early. Vote often.

Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :

No, voting is my privilege. I shall choose to vote for whom I wish, or whether to vote at all.

Jury duty on the other hand, is my duty.

Feyd Baron, DoC

EDIT: Too many capital letters

[ October 15, 2004, 12:54 PM: Message edited by: Architraz Warden ]

Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :

I've been musing the same thing lately, and I don't have an answer for you. I guess we don't have to worry, though, because it would never happen.

Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :

What does mean, "Vote"?

Posted by IdemosthenesI (Member # 862) on :

Okay, for the REAl answer to the question:

If nobody voted, then the same number of votes (i.e. zero) would be cast for all candidates. At least for the office of president, a tie is decided by the House of Representatives. Therefore, since the house is controlled by Republicans and voting for President could be expected to stay fairly partisan...

Bush would win.

Local and state offices would depend on local and state laws.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

"dude, don't answer my jokes with actual information!" -- celia

Posted by IdemosthenesI (Member # 862) on :

Oh yes, and even if only the candidates voted, it would still be a tie, since all candidates would get exactly one vote. If we count families of voting age, however...

Posted by IdemosthenesI (Member # 862) on :

Sorry! Here, I'll make a joke!

You see. If nobody votes, Bush wins basically by default. Make sure and let all your friends know, a vote for nobody is a vote for Bush. In fact, if you WERE planning on voting for Bush, you can just stay home! It'll be just as good [Big Grin]

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

quote:
At least for the office of president, a tie is decided by the House of Representatives. Therefore, since the house is controlled by Republicans and voting for President could be expected to stay fairly partisan.

Two things. First, each state gets only one vote decided by the entire delegation for that state. Second, the House can only choose from the top 3 electoral vote recipients. If no electors are chosen, then no candidates are in the top 3, so the House can't choose them.

I'm not sure what happens next, because the rest of the amendment at issue only comes into play when the House doesn't choose in a situation when it could. It's not clear the House could choose, so the next mechanism might not be usable.

Dagonee

Posted by IdemosthenesI (Member # 862) on :

As always, I bow to the encyclopedic legal knowledge of Dagonee! [Hail]

I tried anyway. [Dont Know]

Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :

Ok, let's say that people in Generic American State are unsatisfied with the people on their ballot. I understand that you can write in the name of anybody you choose, can't you? What would happen if the majority happened to write in the same name and voted for Bugs Bunny, or Bob Saget, or Colin Powell, or whoever? Does that person get elected?

Posted by IdemosthenesI (Member # 862) on :

Bob Saget is Wrong for America!

My question is: If everybody voted for a write in candidate, say James Patterson, who, then, decides WHICH James Patterson actually won?

Posted by dread pirate romany (Member # 6869) on :

What's scary is, my gram would vote for Bob Saget.

Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :

Mr. Funny, are you posting from school? [No No]

<----Posting from computer in electrical networks classroom.

Posted by Xaposert (Member # 1612) on :

I suspect it would fall to the Supreme Court again.