Voting Patterns - poll

[pear]

I am really interested in the reasons people vote for a particular party or person. I think that as social structures in society have become increasingly mobile, people are increasingly volatile in the way they vote. in my parents generation many voted for the same party every year, and never considered changing. I'd like to ask two questions to anyone who is interested....

a) Do u vote the same way as your parents?
b) do u know who ull vote for before the campaign? or do u decide on or close to the day?


Thank you to anybody who replies! I'm prolly a bit strange, I just find this stuff really interesting!

[Vicks]

Well I grew up very conservative. My father is a die hard republican, whlie my mother is a democrate, albeit, not nearly as radial as my father is in some of his views.

I, consider myself to be much more liberal in my thinking than my father, so I would say my values and voting trends are more inline with my mom. However, strangely I grew up with my father, not my mom. I only really became more liberal I think, after I started college which is typical for many people.

I also, decided before I get to the polls who I am going to vote for. In general, I really try to read up on all the candidates.

Vicks

[MegaVictory]

I was brought up as a democrat, but now I vote for who I feel is the best candidate. I try to sway my mom to do that, too, and she listens to me, but she still has that mentality that she was born a democrat and will die a democrat. The way things are today, I don't think a person can afford to be faithful to one party, no matter what. I am still pretty liberal in my views. Like, I think I am more pro-choice, not that I would ever have an abortion, but I would vote pro-life, because abortions are performed if people don't like the gender of the baby, or people are promiscuous, and I don't think the government should pay for their abortions--but abortion still needs to be legal. Not to mention, "thou shalt not kill," just to give an example. And, separation of church and state, to a point. The fouding fathers were founded on God (or however you want to look at/call the higher power in the universe), so there is a right and wrong, morals/ethics do exist. I want a person of integrity in the White House (because I feel, people in leadership positions HAVE a responsibility to us, to be our role models). So I study up on the issues, watch the debates, read the fliers towards the end, talk to people, ALL before I go and vote. When I walk in the polls, I know for sure who I am voting for.

[shortstop]

I definately know who I'm voting for and what initatives I'm voting for before I get to the polls. I just finished reading up on all of the propositions that there are to vote on so I know what I want to vote for before I get there.
I have something to admit to the bowl though....I'm a virgin voter!!! This is my first election.
I'm actually pretty excited.
I'm prepared and I know what I want to say yes and no to.

[Catherose]

No, my dad is very Republican and I am generally very not Republican.

I know who I will vote fore ay ahead of time.

[gone]

well, I'm a military brat, and I tend to relate to a lot of conservative ideas, such as respect for our military, who are out risking their lives so that we can go about our lives and make money and live safely.

I would hope that most people make up their minds before the polls. I know I've been researching for the past year or so on the candidates, both at the local level and national.

[New-Bride]

A - NO :boink :bounce
B - YES YES YES :wand :wand :usa KERRY KERRY KERRY :usa :wand :wand

[Vicks]

such as respect for our military, who are out risking their lives so that we can go about our lives and make money and live safely.

Guess what greenangel? I have tons of respect for the military. As do, does my husband's grandfather, three of my uncles, and my father-in-law. All of the people I just menionted are registered democrates. And they have all been in the military.

One thing that has sort of really gotten me riled up some, is the idea that "liberals/democrates" don't support our troops, that ins't the case at all. I don't know one person who doesnt' support our troops, who are underpaid, and over worked.

It is interesting, how the conservatives that I do know, my father being one of them, were never in the military, yet all the people all i know who are or have been in the miliatry consider themselves liberal.

It is an issue that to me has been hijacked, both parties, in fact most people, wold support our troops, it is their comander in cheif that people have diferent vies about. I don't get how, supporting the troops can be viewed as a solely conservative issue.

vicks

[gone]

hey vicks,
i really didn't mean to brand supporting the troops as a solely conservative idea. reading over my statement, i can see how it would be interpreted that way, and for that, I sincerely apologize.

although my dad is probably labeled a conservative, one of the things he always says is that he fought so that people would have the right to say what they wanted in the US, burn the flag, do whatever. that's true freedom.

i agree that supporting the troops is something that both liberals and conservatives ought to be able to do.

i guess my big problem right now is that one of the candidates says he supports the troops, but they're in the wrong place at the wrong time and should be pulled out. to me, that seems to say to the troops they're fighting for nothing, and seems to denote a certain lack of respect for their efforts and the efforts of other countries working in the coalition with them. i feel sad that for many years, people have relied on our military to protect our country, but especially since Vietnam, the military has gotten much less respect than they should. Now, that kind of an idea seems to be branded as conservative by a lot of news media outlets these days- the idea that the troops ought to be respected, no matter what the outcome of the war- but that's how I feel.

again, my apologies- I totally respect the fact that people can support the troops, no matter what political ideas they may hold. It just hurts me when I hear someone saying that the troops are in the wrong place at the wrong time, and should be pulled out ASAP, because to me that's not only degrading to the troops and their families, it also opens the US up to more domestic attacks by terrorists.

[pear]

Thank you all for replying!! im so excited at the things u said - -it really restores my faith in democracy. I realise the sample size is biased as u would only bother replying if u were interested in politics. All the same, in nz the two major parties have relyed on the working v middle class cleavage for such a long period of time! Its fantastic to hear rthat the newer generation of voters uses their own judgement rather tha the socil position or beliefs of their parents.

Of coarse these may have subconsious influence on us. All the same, i really appreciate ur feedback, thanx. I'm, obviously, not from the US but am very excited about ur elction....it impacts the entire world u know!

[meagers]

Hi All,

I like this question...it's very intersting to me too Pear. Are you a fellow Psych major?

My parents are pretty liberal and although I am influenced by growing up in a liberal household, I think I most likely would have ended up being liberal on my own...I've always been a bit of a free spirit and like to try on new ideas. Not that Republican views are not good or anything, I just tend to feel that I would have ended up being more on the democratic side anyhow becuase of my personality and life experiences outside the home. I actually think the ED has made me even more open minded to other's views too. (Hey, some good stuff does come out of the suffering!)

I do know who I am going to vote for before I go to the Polls...although this is only my second presidential election. I have been doing some research on both this year's candidates for my Psychology of Women's Health Issues class and this has really strengthened my views this year. Before reading on some topics regarding women's health, I was pretty sure of who I would vote for, but I was half-hearted about it, like I was voting for the lesser of two evils. After learning more about the candidates views on these subjects I am now casting my vote with confidence and pride.

Thanks again for a great post!