Timeline for Coworker is trying to get me to sign his petition to run for office. How to decline politely?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
7 events
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| Feb 21, 2019 at 23:01 | comment | added | Steve Jessop | @PatrickM: furthermore, holding the door open for him might make some minuscule contribution towards him getting elected. So, we don't hold doors for our political opponents? More significant, I think, is that if the names on the petition are a matter of public record (which I assume they are), you might find yourself needing to explain yourself to other political opponents of this guy. Just like if they spotted you having a coffee with him, you'd have to explain that he's your colleague so you have made an exception to the usual rules of mutual hatred across parties, but it's tedious. | |
| Feb 21, 2019 at 20:11 | comment | added | tbrookside | @Patrick - If we were talking about a citizen initiative, I might agree with you. But signing a ballot access petition doesn't say, "I want this individual to gain office"; it says "I am OK with other citizens having the opportunity to vote for this individual for this office." I don't want Hillary Clinton to be President, but I see no reason for others to not have the opportunity to vote for her, so I'd sign her ballot petition. I'd sign this petition unless I was aware of some disqualifying fact (like the individual not really being a resident of the district, for example). | |
| Feb 21, 2019 at 15:30 | comment | added | Harper - Reinstate Monica | @PatrickM No, it isn't. Only two things will help this guy get elected: a) Voting for him in the actual election, or b) Opposing him but throwing your vote away in the actual election. I suppose you could argue that actively campaigning for him could help, but this isn't anything like that. Signing a petition is merely a vote for open elections. | |
| Feb 21, 2019 at 3:26 | comment | added | Joe | @PatrickM : sign the petition, then put up a yard sign for his opponent? (assuming he doesn't know exactly where you live) And make sure to tell all of your neighbors about what a terrible choice that other candidate would be, who you know because you work with him. | |
| Feb 20, 2019 at 15:27 | comment | added | alpha1 | In some places you have to be the same party as the person who's petition your signing or it doesn't count. For instance, a Republican running may need to get 1000 registered republican signatures from their town to be listed on the ballot. If you are not of the same party, your signature may not count anyway. If this is the case, you could say, I don't believe my signature would count, but good luck anyway | |
| Feb 20, 2019 at 12:50 | comment | added | Patrick M | Signing his petition is helping this guy get elected. I'd guess that the OP really meant he doesn't want to help this guy get elected, (as opposed to only caring about voting in the election) so signing the petition would be directly opposed to his goals. | |
| Feb 19, 2019 at 11:49 | history | answered | Sentinel | CC BY-SA 4.0 |