--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You will vote for first choice candidate…" description: "\"You will vote for first choice candidate whether or not you think he'll win. But I'm saying you may find yourself for a candidate, a middling candidate..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/kenneth-arrow-14948_arguing_you-will-vote-for-first-choice-candidate_3034604.jpg" --- # You will vote for first choice candidate whether or not… ![“You will vote for first choice candidate whether or not you think he'll win. But I'm saying you may find yourself for a candidate, a middling candidate, a candidate you don't think very well of, really. And you really don't like to avoid a catastrophe. Well, maybe that's a good thing. You can…” quote by Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/kenneth-arrow-14948_arguing_you-will-vote-for-first-choice-candidate_3034604.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/kenneth-arrow-14948_arguing_you-will-vote-for-first-choice-candidate_3034604.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/kenneth-arrow-14948_arguing_you-will-vote-for-first-choice-candidate_3034604.jpg) > “You will vote for first choice candidate whether or not you think he'll win. But I'm saying you may find yourself for a candidate, a middling candidate, a candidate you don't think very well of, really. And you really don't like to avoid a catastrophe. Well, maybe that's a good thing. You can argue that back and forth.” [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Voters may choose less‑ideal candidates to avoid worse outcomes, reflecting strategic compromise in elections. **In simple terms:** Compromise drives voting choices. Key Takeaway Consider trade‑offs in political decisions. Themes politics strategy decision‑making Mood analytical pragmatic Type political educational When to use this quote - voter fatigue - party polarization Key Concepts economics voting theory Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your vote? - How do you evaluate candidate trade‑offs? A Different Perspective Strategic voting can reinforce undesirable candidates. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Back and forth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back-and-forth/) [Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate/) [Candidate Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate-think-792021/) [Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates/) [Catastrophe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catastrophe/) [Choice Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-candidate-4691589/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Finding yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-yourself/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Good thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Middling Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middling-candidate-4973731/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Vote Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote-choice-4774447/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I've always supported legislation for a woman's right to choose. And as mayor - I ran as an open, pro-choice candidate for mayor. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/i-ve-always-supported-legislation-for-a-woman-s-right-to-choose-and/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [I have always gone through public life and saying that with respect to political candidates, I always measure each candidate against what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-and-saying-that-with-respect/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [It obviously matters who gets to be president. And it's perfectly valid for us media types to advocate for the candidate we think is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/it-obviously-matters-who-gets-to-be-president-and-it-s-perfectly/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [I think I should be on the main stage. I don't think I'm an undercard candidate. I think the others should drop out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-montagne/i-think-i-should-be-on-the-main-stage-i-don-t-think-i-m-an-undercard/) [Renee Montagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-montagne/) > [I just don't see anonymous sources as fair against a candidate. I think if someone has a real concern, they should come out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-bailey-hutchison/i-just-don-t-see-anonymous-sources-as-fair-against-a-candidate-i/) [Kay Bailey Hutchison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-bailey-hutchison/) > [Whoever wants Yesh Atid in the government has to vote for us - there's no other choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-herzog/whoever-wants-yesh-atid-in-the-government-has-to-vote-for-us-there-s/) [Isaac Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-herzog/) > [With the right to vote, our choice should be for the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-the-right-to-vote-our-choice-should-be-for-the-holy-spirit-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think there's very many paths to a nomination, and they don't all necessarily go through the bloggers. I don't think we, as bloggers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markos-moulitsas/i-think-there-s-very-many-paths-to-a-nomination-and-they-don-t-all/) [Markos Moulitsas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markos-moulitsas/) > [I honestly don't even really want to think about it; I'd rather focus on how wonderful she is. Hillary Clinton is such a formidable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-honestly-don-t-even-really-want-to-think-about-it-i-d-rather-focus/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [I really believe that anybody on the Left or the Right that tries to invoke the teachings of Jesus to say they should vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell-jr/i-really-believe-that-anybody-on-the-left-or-the-right-that-tries-to/) [Jerry Falwell, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell-jr/) > [“You'd be amazed at how many presidents, senators, congressmen, governors, even mayors get elected not because of their own merits or actions, but simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-archer/you-d-be-amazed-at-how-many-presidents-senators-congressmen-governors/) [David Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-archer/) > [Rarely does a candidate think ahead and take the time to understand what the hiring company's priorities are, and then carefully presents himself as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azran-osman-rani/rarely-does-a-candidate-think-ahead-and-take-the-time-to-understand/) [Azran Osman Rani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azran-osman-rani/) > [It is an intimately communicative affair between the painter and his painting, a conversation back and forth, the painting telling the painter even as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/it-is-an-intimately-communicative-affair-between-the-painter-and-his/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [I think my work comes out of both an intense desire for connection and what it means to feel isolated. There's always going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/i-think-my-work-comes-out-of-both-an-intense-desire-for-connection/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [He should release the tax returns tomorrow. It's crazy. You've got to release six, eight, ten years back tax returns. Take the hit for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/he-should-release-the-tax-returns-tomorrow-it-s-crazy-you-ve-got-to/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) ## More by Kenneth Arrow > [The health care provisions are presumably for individuals. And whoever pays for them, whether it's paid by the individual, state, whatever, the value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/the-health-care-provisions-are-presumably-for-individuals-and-whoever/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) > [From the time I first understood economic principles, I was always concerned also that any system be operated on an efficient basis, which meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/from-the-time-i-first-understood-economic-principles-i-was-always/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) > [Knowledge is a free good. The biggest cost in its transmission is not in the production or distribution of knowledge, but in its assimilation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/knowledge-is-a-free-good-the-biggest-cost-in-its-transmission-is-not/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) > [Family is a difficult matter. I must admit I do not know that the state can intervene successfully in a family. It's a fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/family-is-a-difficult-matter-i-must-admit-i-do-not-know-that-the/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) > [The MD is well aware that the forecasts are no good but he needs them for planning purposes ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/the-md-is-well-aware-that-the-forecasts-are-no-good-but-he-needs-them/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) > [The trouble is that the risks that are being hedged very well by new financial securities are financial risks. And it appears to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/the-trouble-is-that-the-risks-that-are-being-hedged-very-well-by-new/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) > [One way of looking at Impossibility Theorem is that we proposed some criteria for what a good system should be: what is it you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/one-way-of-looking-at-impossibility-theorem-is-that-we-proposed-some/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) > [Vast ills have followed a belief in certainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/vast-ills-have-followed-a-belief-in-certainty/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) > [In The United States, the only real change I know has been Instant Runoff, which is usually applied to municipal elections. I see no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/in-the-united-states-the-only-real-change-i-know-has-been-instant/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) > [I do sense, as compared with let's say the early '50s, there's somewhat more of a careerism. I don't think it's anything special to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/i-do-sense-as-compared-with-let-s-say-the-early-50s-there-s-somewhat/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) > [The switch to the market in Eastern Europe, of course, has not exactly been one of the greatest advertisements for the market. There's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/the-switch-to-the-market-in-eastern-europe-of-course-has-not-exactly/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) > [I think the development of the venture capital system has been an example of something which is a successful improvement in risk-bearing. 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These are designed to reduce the uncertainty in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/the-general-uncertainty-about-the-prospects-of-medical-treatment-is/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) [Explore all 44 Kenneth Arrow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. 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Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) [Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You will vote for first choice candidate whether or not you think he'll win. But I'm saying you may find yourself for a candidate, a middling candidate, a candidate you don't think very well of, really. And you really don't like to avoid a catastrophe. Well, maybe that's a good thing. 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