There's been a lot of memes going around, but I genuinely have a question. If PSL were on the ballot, I would obviously vote for them. However, they're write-in only in my state. Would writing in PSL have the same effect, or could the vote more easily be invalid or ignored.

In other words, is it better to vote for Greens if PSL is write-in only?

EDIT: THANKS FOR INPUT! I've decided to write in Hilary Clinton, have a wonderful day!

But really probably writing in PSL. Elections don't matter too much though, so I'm ever in an area where PSL is active, I'll make sure to join (which has been the plan for a while). Thanks again!

  • Infamousblt [any]
    ·
    2 days ago

    Doesn't matter in the grand scheme. If one is on your ballot and not the other, vote the easy one. If they're both write ins or both on the ballot pick whichever one you like best. If neither are write ins or on the ballot leave it blank.

    At least in the case of the greens, Jill Stein is not running to win president. She is running because she has to run for president in order for down ticket greens to be eligible to be on the ballot. Those down ticket greens could actually win and do sometimes in local elections so that's why she's on the ballot.

    PSL is on the ballot for publicity and to spread discussion and conversation about socialist values.

    Both of these are valid reasons to be on the ballot and both of these are valid reasons to receive a vote. Both parties are anti genocide and neither will win so it's not too big of a difference either way.

    • macerated_baby_presidents [he/him]
      ·
      2 days ago

      She is running because she has to run for president in order for down ticket greens to be eligible to be on the ballot.

      where can I read more about this? is this partisan ballots or something?

      • Evilphd666 [he/him, comrade/them]
        ·
        edit-2
        2 days ago

        List of 150 greens in Office

        Yeah like local offices. The Green Party is very adamant about not recieving corporate money. They believe in people powered elections and representstion. The presidential election helps establish certain thresholds for public funding and ballot access instead of having to "start over" in signature drives just to be on the ballot in local and state elections. Public funding is funded by people who check on their tax returns the $3 to public election funding.

        You'll hear this 5% threshold mentioned often and this is the reason why.

        Receiving a public funding grant for the general election - FEC.GOV

        Public funding for major party presidential nominees in the general election takes the form of a grant of $20 million plus the difference in the price index. (The general election grant for 2024 is $123.5 million.) To be eligible to receive public funds, the presidential nominee of a major party must agree to limit spending to the amount of the grant and may not accept private contributions for the campaign.

        Minor party candidates and new party candidates may qualify for partial general election funding, based on their party's electoral performance, or upon the candidates' electoral performance in the preceding election year. Although minor and new party candidates may supplement public funds with private contributions and may exempt some fundraising costs from their expenditure limit, they are otherwise subject to the same spending limit and other requirements that apply to major party candidates.

        ....

        Minor party candidates: A minor party candidate is the nominee of a party whose candidate received between 5 and 25 percent of the total popular vote in the preceding presidential election. The amount of public funding to which a minor party candidate is entitled is based on the ratio of the party's popular vote in the preceding presidential election to the average popular vote of the two major party candidates in that election.

      • Infamousblt [any]
        ·
        2 days ago

        I don't know for sure. Google I guess? I just heard her in an interview on Democracy Now and that's what she was saying. I don't think she'd have much reason to lie about it in that space

  • LesbianLiberty [she/her]
    ·
    2 days ago

    I say vote PSL if you want a socialist revolution in this country. While your vote won't, you know, create it or mean that Claudia and Karina will win, what it will mean is yet one more person out of tens or hundreds of thousands who says "I support a socialist option in this country".

    A vote for the PSL, especially in a write-in state, is an indicator for desire for a socialist option, and a way to record this for the historical record and for existing socialist parties who are trying to decide where their potential base may be.

    • peeonyou [he/him]
      ·
      edit-2
      4 hours ago

      done! my partner also voted PSL after she found out i did

      • LesbianLiberty [she/her]
        ·
        1 day ago

        Care-Comrade

        Thank you comrade, with how much work and energy we've put into the campaign it means a lot

    • hotcouchguy [he/him]
      ·
      2 days ago

      Disappointing to hear, I caught some of his interviews and had a generally positive impression of him.

  • GoodGuyWithACat [he/him]
    ·
    2 days ago

    It doesn't really matter lol. We keep telling people that voting for Harris won't change anything, well neither will voting 3rd party. Vote however you feel.

    • bumpusoot [any]
      ·
      1 day ago

      It's not that I think votes make 0% difference, it's just that I think they make 0.001% difference, and should be given the same percentage of one's thought and effort.

  • Nakoichi [they/them]
    ·
    2 days ago

    Write-ins are counted just like any other candidate on the ballot so long as the candidate is eligible for write-in. Stupid country stupid electoral process but that is the way it is.

    • RedWizard [he/him, comrade/them]
      ·
      2 days ago

      In many states you have to be an official write-in candidate. Then you have to make sure you follow the rules on what to write. I had to ask my registrar office for a list of official write-ins because I could not find them posted online.

      Some states the whole ballot is void of you enter someone in the write in section who shouldn't be there. So that's your down ballot and ballot questions rejected too.

      Thankfully in my state they machine count all the selections and flag the write in for hand count so you don't invalidate the whole ballot.

      • footfaults [none/use name]
        ·
        2 days ago

        Some states the whole ballot is void of you enter someone in the write in section who shouldn't be there.

        Lmao democracy

    • HumanBehaviorByBjork [any, undecided]
      ·
      2 days ago

      depends on the race and state. NYC municipal elections count every write-in for example, and keep a public record of those results.

  • Angel [any]
    ·
    2 days ago

    I don't know why this has to be mutually exclusive. I drink a pumpkin spice latte when I'm eating my greens all the time!

    But yeah, seriously, what comrade @Nakoichi@hexbear.net said for a real answer.

  • sewer_rat_420 [he/him, any]
    ·
    1 day ago

    It doesnt matter. I voted PSL because they align with my values the most, but also i think that just being on ballots, knocking on doors, and trying to make "socialism" be an acceptable and available choice all while drawing attention to dem hypocrisy is a win

  • LaughingLion [any, any]
    ·
    1 day ago

    PSL

    then vote on your ballot initiatives in my state we vote to enshrine abortion rights for instance

  • grandepequeno [he/him]
    ·
    2 days ago

    If you live in a state where Jill Stein could actually cost kamala the election, vote for Stein

  • Owl [he/him]
    ·
    2 days ago

    I think the biggest impact a third party vote could have is to have a third party turnout high enough that news casters have to actually mention it, which the Greens are much more likely to achieve.

    Also Jill Stein got arrested at an anti-genocide protest this year, which is pretty cool.

    My heart still says PSL though.

    • jack [he/him, comrade/them]
      ·
      2 days ago

      Also Jill Stein got arrested at an anti-genocide protest this year, which is pretty cool.

      Same goes for Claudia though

    • grandepequeno [he/him]
      ·
      2 days ago

      I think the biggest impact a third party vote could have is to have a third party turnout high enough that news casters have to actually mention it

      I'll up that to the biggest impact is taking the state away from a dem or a rep candidate so you'd actually matter politically

  • Z_Poster365 [none/use name]
    ·
    edit-2
    1 day ago

    PSL

    Ware (Stein's running mate) is going around being an anti-communist shit head right now, spouting off about Uighurs and loonie lefties and tankies

    If you're going to do a symbolic protest vote, at least vote for the good candidate and not the half assed one

  • Saoirse [she/her, comrade/them]
    ·
    1 day ago

    Reality check: nothing you put there has any effect, and you shouldn't lie to yourself about that. Any choice you make beyond refusing to vote for either of the candidates giving full-throated support for genocide is entirely for your own self-gratification and nothing more. It won't change anyone's mind, it won't build a party, it won't make one iota of material difference in the world.

    • bumpusoot [any]
      ·
      1 day ago

      I'd personally argue it has about one iota of material difference. Like literally the smallest possible effect. Voting isn't useless, it's just very very incredibly useless.