Hypothetical: Rigging the Vote

[Dominioan]

Hey all. This is slightly influenced with all of the talk of the Democrats rigging the election by Trump.


Okay, so it is the day before election day. There are currently two candidates running, one that almost matches your views perfectly, and someone who you would prefer not to get in (not saying they are horrible, but they would do things you don't really want). The election is incredibly close, all polls being run can never come up with a significant majority. But while you are walking home from work, you encounter a man. He tells you that, for a price (which you can pay), can rig the election in your favor. Keep in mind that this man in this scenario will do it if you pay him, this is a hypothetical. He will also try and make it as realistic as possible, but there is still a chance you could get caught and arrested. What do you do?

Option 1: Take the offer and rig the election in your favor in order to make your candidate win. There is a chance you will get caught, and you are subverting democracy, but you believe that this is the best decision for the country you live in.
(you could rig it for the opposing candidate as well)


Option 2: Decline the offer, and report him to the police. You trust in the democratic process, and that the peoples choice will bring the candidate that is truly best for the job. You think that subverting democracy, even for what you believe is right, is wrong.

What do you do?


I would personally take option two. I think that democracy is one of the most important aspects of society. If the majority want a candidate, he/she deserves to be in power.

[Bala Mantre]

Hey all. This is slightly influenced with all of the talk of the Democrats rigging the election by Trump.


Okay, so it is the day before election day. There are currently two candidates running, one that almost matches your views perfectly, and someone who you would prefer not to get in (not saying they are horrible, but they would do things you don't really want). The election is incredibly close, all polls being run can never come up with a significant majority. But while you are walking home from work, you encounter a man. He tells you that, for a price (which you can pay), can rig the election in your favor. Keep in mind that this man in this scenario will do it if you pay him, this is a hypothetical. He will also try and make it as realistic as possible, but there is still a chance you could get caught and arrested. What do you do?

Option 1: Take the offer and rig the election in your favor in order to make your candidate win. There is a chance you will get caught, and you are subverting democracy, but you believe that this is the best decision for the country you live in.


Option 2: Decline the offer, and report him to the police. You trust in the democratic process, and that the peoples choice will bring the candidate that is truly best for the job. You think that subverting democracy, even for what you believe is right, is wrong.

What do you do?


I would personally take option two. I think that democracy is one of the most important aspects of society. If the majority want a candidate, he/she deserves to be in power.

I would take option one because I want to see Americas democracy go away under the rule of one man

[San Lumen]

No I would not take the deal. Fraud is never ok.

[Commanarme]

Honestly?

One. I'm a terrible person who thinks I know best, so I wouldn't give anyone else a chance to be "wrong." Of course I could theoretically go into detail on why I think I'm right, but I don't think it really matters to why I'd choose option one. I just trust my opinion over millions of Americans. Terrible reason, I know, but what can I say?

But that's a scenario where it's all in. This guy is presumably a professional, who will most likely successfully rig the vote in my favor.

No, I would NOT do this sort of thing in real life, because real life has so many more factors that make it feel more... wrong. Less "big red button make me win," more "I'm purposefully sabotaging people's right to choose." Nor would I support any authority figure who was trying to rig the vote, because it shows they're just as terrible of a person as I am.

[Luziyca]

As much as I want to do so, and as much as it would be nice to do so, if I did that, it will harm my party in the long run, even if it led to short-term gains. "Best" case scenario, they win, and then a few years down the line, the scandal explodes. Worst case scenario, I get caught instantly and the NDP dies in smoke.

So yeah, no.

[Glorious Hong Kong]

Hell no. Option 2 it is.

[Nobel Hobos 2]

Accepting option 1 would be a crime, and probably morally wrong (except excused by the thought maybe this happened last time!) so I would bear the sinner's burden of keeping silent about it. I wouldn't tell everyone on NSG!

Accepting option 2 is what I would do, but only from practical skepticism. I don't really believe the offer, and am suspicious that the dude is asking strangers for money when he could get a better price going to a senior party member. The very slight chance he can actually do it worries me too: if he's not stopped he'll find a buyer eventually, which is either election rigging or simple fraud. Defs call the cops!

[Resilient Acceleration]

Wait, so this random suspicious man I met on the street can, for a hypercheap price that even a college student can afford (though will probably still put me in some financial strain), rig the whole fucking national election? Millions upon millions of ballots in all 34 provinces? No dice. Obviously common sense would tell that there's a 99.999% chance that he's a fraud who lied.

But if he can actually do that, I'll be far more interested in securing a beneficial relationship with this real deal person since apparently, he can single-handedly manipulate multiple government agencies, control ballot logistics, and bring defeat upon a gigantic party coalition supported by an army of business and military oligarchs. The fact that problem would only potentially appear in the aftermath, while the execution itself is guaranteed to run smoothly, is terrifying.

[Eurasies]

I think it is important to take into account the context of the situation.

Let me explain, maybe if the candidate I would not vote for knows that he is going to govern well, he would choose option 2.

If I have an idea of what the candidate I don't like might become if he wins the elections, how to establish a dictatorship or something similar, I would choose option 1.

I don't know, it is quite difficult to choose depending on the context of the situation.

If this scenario happened in the Biden vs. Trump would choose option 2 without a doubt.

(Sorry in case there is an error in the text, English I do not master it very well)

[Chan Island]

One of my core beliefs is that democracy is a very good system. Choosing option 1 would run completely counter to that belief, so why would I pick it? Subverting democracy once, even if in favour of someone I like, sets a precedent that will in the long term unravel the very system I so adore. Option 2 in a heartbeat.

[Picairn]

A dude who can rig the election for your party with a small price will most likely rig the election for the other party too, if he is offered a greater reward.

[Infected Mushroom]

It’s unfortunate that Option 1 is illegal in the posited scenario.

I will obey the law.

Very reluctantly, I choose Option 2 (though the beliefs stated are not mine, the actions are closest).

[Washington Resistance Army]

Depending on the chances probably option 1.

[Nobel Hobos 2]

A dude who can rig the election for your party with a small price will most likely rig the election for the other party too, if he is offered a greater reward.

Which seems to suggest 1. If it's going to be some party, might as well make it your party.

But if you could be sure he will be locked up, and his (presumably huge) team of co-conspirators also locked up, that would be a better solution.

But does calling the cops necessarily achieve that? Despite the low price demanded, his services are worth billions. Calling the cops may well result in this dastardly election-stealer working for the current government. Which will just get worse and worse with each term as it discovers the luxury of being able to dictate election results.

*Insert movie-length script about infiltrating the man's group and using their powers of manipulation to make everyone nice to each other*

[Borderlands of Rojava]

There's no honor in that. Screw that guy

[The Marlborough]

Option 1 without question.

[The New California Republic]

You know what this poll thread needs? A poll.

[Pilont]

With the way it is worded now, I would chose 2. Trust the process.

You know what this poll thread needs? A poll.

Yeah, change the wording on the poll though.

Someone within your team suggests a plan that will guarantee that you will win. You ask for more details and he says "All you need to know is that when the election is complete, the results will say that you received the most votes." He doesn't provide anymore details beside that.

Option 1: Allow him to proceed with his plan.

Option 2: Don't proceed with his plan.

'Cheating' an election can mean so many things to so many different people. Preventing people from voting is considered cheating to some people and not to others.

[The Blaatschapen]

How is this a hypothetical?

[Thermodolia]

As much as I want to do so, and as much as it would be nice to do so, if I did that, it will harm my party in the long run, even if it led to short-term gains. "Best" case scenario, they win, and then a few years down the line, the scandal explodes. Worst case scenario, I get caught instantly and the NDP dies in smoke.

So yeah, no.

That’s why you run as a conservative. If ya get caught then the Conservative party dies

[Thermodolia]

Option one. But I wouldn’t do it for the candidate I support but the one I don’t. Basically I’d intentionally rig the election in favor of the guy I don’t like so that when I’m caught it casts a shadow on them and their party.

[Dominioan]

Added the poll

[Baloo Kingdom]

As a man of good will, I would decline the offer.
(plus as a Centrist it wouldn't matter that much to me, unless the President I were to rig the election against was a very very very horrible person...then maybe I would)

[Luziyca]

As much as I want to do so, and as much as it would be nice to do so, if I did that, it will harm my party in the long run, even if it led to short-term gains. "Best" case scenario, they win, and then a few years down the line, the scandal explodes. Worst case scenario, I get caught instantly and the NDP dies in smoke.

So yeah, no.

That’s why you run as a conservative. If ya get caught then the Conservative party dies

Federally, that is. If I tried to do that in my province, well, the Conservatives are already dead, I'll need to run or support the Sask Party.

In that case, maybe that's something worth doing.

[Punished UMN]

If I could get away with it, and I could do good for the country, yes.