Primary Voting Question - OK to vote for pro-death candidate?

[CuriousInIL]

This question relates only to a primary election, not the general election. Let us assume:
First, that Party A has two candidates 1 and 2 and both are pro-life.
Second, that Party B has two candidates 3 and 4 and that candidate 4 does favor some abortion restrictions but that 3 is against any such restrictions.
Third, polls suggest that in the general election 3 would lose to 1 or 2 and that 4 would beat 1 or 2.
Fourth, while you are a member of party A, your state allows you to vote in either the A or the B primary election.

In these circumstances, is it moral to vote in the B primary for the most pro-death candidate 3 because candidate 3 is much more likely to loose the general election to a pro-life candidate?

 

[Evan]

Excellent timing. Bishop Chaput of Denver just discussed how we, as Catholics, should come to determine who we vote for. Its the topic Better Citizens, More Faithful Catholics on page firstthings.com/onthesquare/ He gave a 10 step process beginning with who we are and proceeding to how we justify our vote, and to whom.

 

[Evan]

In these circumstances, is it moral to vote in the B primary for the most pro-death candidate 3 because candidate 3 is much more likely to loose the general election to a pro-life candidate?

If we could trust polls, we would not have to vote. Don’t try to suborn the democratic process by voting for who you want to lose, rather for who you want to win.

 

[CuriousInIL]

If we could trust polls, we would not have to vote. Don’t try to suborn the democratic process by voting for who you want to lose, rather for who you want to win.

I do not see how this is suborning the democratic process. It is allowed by the democratic process.

 

[lizaanne]

I would suggest stop playing games and just vote for the person you want in office.

I didn’t think it had to be any more complicated than that.

~Liza

 

[CuriousInIL]

To clarify, the question is not whether this type of primary voting–trying to get the opposing party’s weaker candidate as the nominee–is a good idea or not. The question is whether it is morally permissible to do so.

 

[Evan]

I do not see how this is suborning the democratic process. It is allowed by the democratic process.

The proper reason to vote, in the eyes of the founders, is to indictae who you would like to be in office. You’re vote tells a lie, it tells everyone that you want one person to be in office when you really want another.

You cannot use evil means (voting for a pro-death candidate) to achieve good ends (election of a pro-abortion candidate).

 

[CuriousInIL]

The proper reason to vote, in the eyes of the founders, is to indictae who you would like to be in office. You’re vote tells a lie, it tells everyone that you want one person to be in office when you really want another.

Well to be picky, a vote in the primary is not to indicate who I want in office; it is to indicate who I want to be that party’s nominee. Also, this is not the founders’ systme any way. The founders would never have let a member of party A “vote” in the party B primary (or even have a primary)

You cannot use evil means (voting for a pro-death candidate) to achieve good ends (election of a pro-abortion candidate).

I think you need to reformulate your last sentence; it makes no sense in this thread as written.

 

[Joe_5859]

In regards the the OP, I would think it would be morally permissable to do so. Your intention is not to get a pro-abortion candidate into office but to do the opposite.

That being said, such a ploy could also backfire, if the polls are wrong. Then you might wind up with the worst candidate of the bunch getting elected. Of course, this is an unintended consequence, but I would think the probability that this might happen should be weighed in making such a decision. It would probably vary from situation to situation.

Another factor to consider is the office the person is being elected to and the amount of power they will wield in impacting the abortion industry.

 

[Joe_5859]

Well to be picky, a vote in the primary is not to indicate who I want in office; it is to indicate who I want to be that party’s nominee.

That’s a good distinction.

 

[Sure]

Yes, you can vote for Hillary, if you want her to win so that she can be defeated in the general election. You are not supporting any of the evil, on the contrary, you are using a specific strategy to defeat it.

 

[Evan]

I agree with the modification that you are indicating to a party who you want them to run.

What you are saying is “Party A, I want you to run candidates who support abortion”. So this will encourage Party A to run more and more of these candidates since (by your logic) that idea is the party base and anyone opposed should not run. What you should want to say is “Party A, Party B I want all candidates in both parties to support life”

You’re vote is a subtle lie to the party leaders. Claiming to be a member of the party and claiming that the pro-death candidate is suitable and attractive to the party faithful. Is it this kind of voting that removes the “Democrats for Life” from office?

This scenario is why I support closed primaries. Only those in the party vote.

This scenario also only works when one is a one issue voter or all the stands of the candidates line up on one side of the issues before the public.

 

[Joe_5859]

Is it this kind of voting that removes the “Democrats for Life” from office?

That’s a good point, too. The kind of strategy found in the OP may work to some extent in the short term, but in the long term it could just mean an increase in pro-abortion candidates for a particular party.

 

[Catholicsrcool]

it says in my examination it’s not ok, it’s a mortal sin.

 

[diligio]

George Will:

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/26/AR2007102601864.html

 

[Rence]

I would suggest stop playing games and just vote for the person you want in office.

I didn’t think it had to be any more complicated than that.

~Liza

I don’t think it has to either. If I believe a certain person is best for the job, looking at all variables, then I vote for that person. Period. The whole picture, not just one color in the picture, is important to me. That’s how I vote.