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I had a previous version of this deleted because of a formatting issue. Part of it was hard to read.

The Caucus thread should be seen no different than the place we go to cast our votes every election.

Inside that place we don't conduct conversations, debate the candidates or issues, campaign for our candidate, wear clothing that promotes a candidate, or pass out notes to those around us telling them who to vote for. We don't speak out loud. We simply vote. That's all we do. When we're done we don't wave our ballot and tell everyone that we voted for "X".

It's a voting thread folks.

Around 97% of the FReepers on the thread have the ability to grasp the concept. A few folks don't. Those few create the full percent of the vote that is invalid.

Here's how that plays out.

Entry 01: Name
Entry 02: Oops I voted wrong
Entry 03: Vote Name
Entry 04: Sorry I voted wrong
Entry 05: I won't do it again

Entry 01: I just have to make a text post to this thread.

Entry 01: I don't know if you know this, but you can't post anything other than votes to this thread.

Entry 01: Don't you folks know you can't do X on this thread?

Result, the invalid vote count mounts. Their candidate gets no support. FReepers wonder why the invalid vote count is so high, and tend to wonder if some shenanigans are going on, favoring one candidate. It serves to undermine confidence in the numbers. I don't mind the effort to conduct the poll, but it does bother me that folks contribute to undermining confidence in it.

If you want to thank me, do it by casting your vote in accordance with the rules.

Ideally, I'd like there to be no invalid votes. How does that happen? Folks follow the voting guidelines just like they do in the voting booth every election. You don't complain going in. You don't complain coming out. You just do it, no questions asked.

Others may see the folks who can't follow the rules and wonder why their candidate attracts people like that. This may factor into their thoughts about candidates.

Some people can't help saying something on the thread.

Others can't help responding to them. In some instances they are off on another thread and don't realize the person they are talking to addressed them from the vote thread. They respond innocently and post it to the vote thread without realizing it. Both people's vote are invalidated for the day.

When we walk into a voting station do we tell the staff how we are going to vote?

We walk into the voting station and follow the guidelines so that our vote is take, processed, and supports our candidate or cause.

We don't stand there and argue about it. We don't picket the place. We just follow through and support our person or issue.

So when I ask folks to just cast a ballot, I want them to just cast a ballot by the rules.

I don't want a person who is on fire for a candidate to call attention to their vote. That is electioneering. That wouldn't be allowed in a voting station we frequent. Why should it here?

Votes that won't count.

Vote Name!
VOTE NAME
Vote Name!!!!!
((Vote Name))

Why are these not allowed?

Once you start allowing anything that calls attention to a vote, other people are validated to do anything they want to call attention to their vote.

If a person can add "!", why can't a person add "!!!!!!"?

If a person can enter VOTE TRUMP, why can't they enter VOTE TRUMP

Folks, this isn't rocket science.

Vote Name