None of these candidates, not any more

On August 22, U. S. District Court Judge Jones ruled that it was unconstitutional for the option to vote for “None of these Candidates” to appear on Nevada’s ballots. The rationale behind the decision makes sense. Since even if ‘none of these candidates’ receives the majority of votes; the candidate receiving the most votes would still be elected. Nevada is, or was the only state that allows voters the option of voting for ‘none of these candidates’. The Republican National Committee was seeking an injunction to remove that option from voters. Democrat Secretary of State Miller was defending the law that was passed in 1976 to combat voter apathy. While a candidate has never lost to ‘none of these candidates’; there has been elections where the number of people voting for ‘none of these candidates’ was larger than the difference between the first and second. Those arguing against the law claim that people’s votes are not being counted, a violation of the Voting Rights Act, as essentially a vote for ‘none of these candidates’ is not being counted to a living candidate, a person with a chance to win the election. Those arguing for the existing law claim that people have the right to not vote, and ‘none of these candidates’ is a way to exercise that right. The stakes are high in this election and the presidential race and Nevada’s senate race are so close that people voting for ‘none of these candidates’ could sway the election. I love the ‘none of these candidates’ option on our ballots, my only problem with it is with the outcome. I would love to see ‘none of these candidates’ be able to win the election. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think “nobody” should fill the seat. I think that it should trigger another election. Obviously if a majority of people vote for ‘none of these candidates’ it should send a message to the two major parties that their selections are unacceptable to the people. New candidates would be selected and another election scheduled. I know the cost to run another election is expensive, but I would call it a necessary expense if a majority of the people doesn’t want any of the candidates. The United States may not be a democracy, but we do have democratic leanings.