Voting out versus voting in

[David Young]

In general elections you remember, how often did you get the impression that it was about voting out or voting against a candidate, rather than voting someone in or keeping them in office?

For me, I thought that the UK in 1983 was about keeping Michael Foot out, more than keeping Margaret Thatcher in, while USA 1992 was more about getting Bill Clinton in than removing George Bush.

USA 2016 seemed like both sides were making sure the other didn't get in, more than being wholeheartedly behind getting their candidate into the Oval Office.

Poland 2020 and Duda vs. Trzaskowski struck me as a more straightforward case of half the country having one idea of the way forward and the other half having a massively different one.

 

[Brickjectivity]

For me, I thought that the UK in 1983 was about keeping Michael Foot out, more than keeping Margaret Thatcher in, while USA 1992 was more about getting Bill Clinton in than removing George Bush.

In media, yes; but not in the workplace. In the workplace I encountered endless complaints about frustration with Bush and how terrible he was. I was at the time not taking part and only a fly on the wall. The second president Bush was booed out of office. Normally a president upon leaving office is accorded honor by the public, but Bush was booed even as he humbly laid down the office unlike Trump. If they could have only seen Trump coming they would have clapped for a person who stepped down out of office. In my opinion that is the single most important duty of a president: to step down when the term expires. That almost didn't happen, but the president was forced to comply this last time.

 

[joe1776]

In general elections you remember, how often did you get the impression that it was about voting out or voting against a candidate, rather than voting someone in or keeping them in office?

For me, I thought that the UK in 1983 was about keeping Michael Foot out, more than keeping Margaret Thatcher in, while USA 1992 was more about getting Bill Clinton in than removing George Bush.

USA 2016 seemed like both sides were making sure the other didn't get in, more than being wholeheartedly behind getting their candidate into the Oval Office.

Poland 2020 and Duda vs. Trzaskowski struck me as a more straightforward case of half the country having one idea of the way forward and the other half having a massively different one.

I see voting for the least offensive candidate as a growing trend in the USA.

Pew research has surveyed citizens' trust of government since the Eisenhower era in the Fifties. The 75% approval then has dropped to about 20% in the most recent survey.

In my opinion, that the drop isn't due to a deterioration in governing. It's due to a trend in favor of a better informed public.

 

[SomeRandom]

In general elections you remember, how often did you get the impression that it was about voting out or voting against a candidate, rather than voting someone in or keeping them in office?

For me, I thought that the UK in 1983 was about keeping Michael Foot out, more than keeping Margaret Thatcher in, while USA 1992 was more about getting Bill Clinton in than removing George Bush.

USA 2016 seemed like both sides were making sure the other didn't get in, more than being wholeheartedly behind getting their candidate into the Oval Office.

Poland 2020 and Duda vs. Trzaskowski struck me as a more straightforward case of half the country having one idea of the way forward and the other half having a massively different one.

I think the last US election seemed more “let’s vote anyone else but this guy” for those who opposed Trump. That’s just the impression I got from international news sources.
In fairness I got the same vibe from the 2016 election. But there was a more “let’s vote for Trump” vibe

In my country it’s more like, let’s show up to the polls or else I’ll cop a fine.

 

[The Hammer]

In my country it’s more like, let’s show up to the polls or else I’ll cop a fine.

And this is how it should be, as well as a federal holiday.

 

[SomeRandom]

And this is how it should be, as well as a federal holiday.

Surprised it isn’t in the US, honestly. With the amount of pride you guys have in having a democracy.

 

[The Hammer]

Surprised it isn’t in the US, honestly. With the amount of pride you guys have in having a democracy.

Same, it's always boggled.my.mind that it's not and that there isn't more of a push for it to be.

 

[David Young]

The main argument against compulsory voting is that it would favour whichever candidate is listed at the top of the ballot form, as they are likely to pick up more of the votes from people who are only there because it is a legal obligation. Various solutions have been proposed, but most democratic countries go for the obvious: free to vote and free to abstain.

What are everyone's thoughts on UK 1979: Callaghan versus Thatcher? Were they more thinking "Let's fix Jim" or "Come on Maggie"?

 

[Twilight Hue]

Surprised it isn’t in the US, honestly. With the amount of pride you guys have in having a democracy.

Screw compulsory voting. Any compulsory policy for that matter. What a way to express a somber fact that you just don't really live in a free country.

 

[Kooky]

What a way to express a somber fact that you just don't really live in a free country.

You mean having to work on election day? Yea, I'd find that extremely restrictive, too.

I'm glad elections are done on Sundays around here.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

In general elections you remember, how often did you get the impression that it was about voting out or voting against a candidate, rather than voting someone in or keeping them in office?

The "ABC" Campaign has been a pretty significant force in Canada since the merger of the Conservative Party and the Reform Party.

Anything But Conservative - Wikipedia

The Liberals and NDP draw in many cases from the same pool of voters, which can often cause a split vote, allowing the Conservatives to take a riding where they don't actually have that much support. This has been a bigger factor since 2003 (since before that, Conservatives and Reform were splitting right-wing votes in a similar way).

The ABC Campaign is a strategic voting initiative that encourages voters to vote for either the Liberals or NDP, whichever has the better chances of defeating the Conservative candidate in a given riding.