What does it mean to vote?

I just read Seth Godin’s blog today regarding the importance of our vote (Ketchup and the third party problem).  His blog basically says that a no vote or third party vote, at this time in history, is a vote for the candidate we most likely don’t want.  I get this.

But this got me thinking about the spirit behind the act of voting. So I did a little research.

To vote, according to Wikipedia – “Voting is a method for a group such as a meeting or an electorate to make a decision or express an opinion, usually following discussions, debates or election campaigns.” – is not just a process of tallying votes.  It is also an opportunity for people to voice their opinion(s) on issues and ideas.

I would like to add this to the conversation.  What if we don’t like either of the major party candidates?    I happen to believe that a vote for a third party candidate is the one way to express our dissatisfaction with the status quo.  It’s made me think about why we don’t give more time and attention to the “other candidates”.  Why are they not a part of the debates?  If a vote for them really doesn’t count, what options do we have? Do we vote just for the candidate we think is less disagreeable?

Check out Seth Godin’s blog today at: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

I like and respect Seth Godin.  I think he has created an important conversation for us to have as a democracy.  So what do you think?  We all have a stake in this process.