I have been asked to sign petitions to get candidates from third (or fourth, or seventeenth) parties on election ballots. Sometimes I sign, sometimes I don't. When I do sign, it's because I believe in the democratic process, and want people to have choices, even if I don't plan to vote for the particular candidate. When I don't sign, either I believe the candidate is unsuitable for office, or, more likely, I don't want MY candidate to lose votes to the new candidate. I applaud the subbies who signed, and didn't plan to attend: they support the principle.