The Straight Ticket

I got myself in trouble with the missus last week because I failed to vote for a judicial candidate she preferred, thinking that I did so as an insult to her personally. Of course this wasn’t the case and like anyone actually trying to get out of a hole I stopped digging by not explaining myself any further. What happened was that I effectively voted straight ticket in early voting last week.

I understand that there are many who believe that straight ticket voting is a bad thing and the reasons against it appear reasonable. I don’t have an opinion for or against the practice and I don’t agree with the overt sanctification of voting this time of year. I couldn’t care less if anyone votes or not, it’s a personal choice and the constant nagging (i.e. “civic duty”) and self-aggrandizing (i.e. “I voted” stickers) over it is just as annoying as the nonstop commercials aimed at terrifying those dependent on government entitlements (as if the reality of impending bankruptcy can be deflected by pretty words).

In any case, I didn’t actually vote straight ticket, I voted separately for each contest and the result happened to be a virtual straight ticket (virtual because there were several single party races). At the top of the ballot, President, Senate, House, etc., there is a clear and discernible difference between candidates. At the judicial and local level, the difference is much more minute and sometimes impossible to discern.

I read the available position and biographical information and didn’t have a reason to vote against many of the candidates. I went with my gut, and considered voluntary association. At the top level of the ballot I was voting for the person I voted for and at the same time was voting against the other candidate. In the presidential and senatorial contests I was voting with extreme vigor against. Anyway, the tie-breakers down the line where I didn’t have a preference one way or the other went for the party I voted for at the top. There are several candidates this year that have so offended me through their campaigns that I consider any association with them, however meager, to be a net negative and party affiliation is not meager.

So, that’s my early-voting-got-me-in-trouble story. Of course no one’s going to stop nominating people who I think are jerks but it does affect my voting down the line, perhaps I’m not the only one. So, vote or not, for any or no reason. Fingers crossed the path more conducive to reality wins. Five more days!