What if two people with the name name ran against each other for President?

[Grummgug]

Let's say a John Smith won the republican nomination, and a different John Smith won the democratic nomination. What percentage of the population would screw up their vote? 10%? 30%? How screwed up would that election be?

[Volitar]

Jaylock is that you?

[TZK203]

Let's make it even harder!

What if there was a Democrat, Republican, and Libertarian candidate named John Smith?

[Calfredd]

Let's make it even harder!

What if there was a Democrat, Republican, and Libertarian candidate named John Smith?

Trick question, we only care about R's and D's here.

[schwarzkopf]

He'd win for sure.

[Grummgug]

Let's make it even harder!

What if there was a Democrat, Republican, and Libertarian candidate named John Smith?

That would be much easier, not harder.

Its very likely that no candidate would win a majority of electoral votes. When that happens, the election is cancelled and the House of Representatives picks the President. The Senate picks the Vice President. That hasn't happened since 1825 though.

[Neganova]

Let's make it even harder!

What if there was a Democrat, Republican, and Libertarian candidate named John Smith?

What if there were a Democrat named Republican, a Republican named Democrat, and a Libertarian whose name didn't make it onto the ballot?

[TZK203]

That would be much easier, not harder.

Its very likely that no candidate would win a majority of electoral votes. When that happens, the election is cancelled and the House of Representatives picks the President. The Senate picks the Vice President. That hasn't happened since 1825 though.

I can imagine some idiots, though, who hear that "John Smith is now President!" cheering, thinking it's their John Smith... when it isn't.

- - - Updated - - -

What if there were a Democrat named Republican, a Republican named Democrat, and a Libertarian whose name didn't make it onto the ballot?

Thomas Jefferson?

.......

[Daita Tetsu]

Florida would declare a state of emergency

[Neganova]

Thomas Jefferson?

.......

I... Think I see what you did there. Made me chuckle!

[schwarzkopf]

Let's make it even harder!
What if there was a Democrat, Republican, and Libertarian candidate named John Smith?

Let's make it harder still - Democrat John R. Smith, Republican John D. Smith.

[Gwiez]

One or both of them will have been in public life long enough that they most likely will have differentiated their names long before getting the nomination. Like the inclusion of middle initials (George W.), using a middle name (Mitt instead of Willard), an alternate form of their name (less or more formal), like Jack or Johnny instead of John.

There's a (R) and a (D) on ballots, as well as party emblems for people who have trouble reading. Of course, there's will still be states that have shoddily constructed ballots, like Florida, where the ballots were so confusing Pat Robertson ended up getting a bunch of Jewish votes because of how his name was placed in relation to other candidates.

[muto]

It would be the first ballot with pictures instead of names.

[PBitt]

Nader strikes back.

[TZK203]

It would be the first ballot with pictures instead of names.

But what if they are identical twins?

[Fullmetal89]

This isn't Yahoo answers dude....

[Xeones]

Uh, I've only voted twice but I'm fairly certain party is listed beside names of candidates.

[Deleted]

I'd vote John Smith obviously...

[Adam Jensen]

Florida would declare a state of emergency

Florida would collapse into a black hole, the Earth would be sucked in, the hole would grow larger and destabilize the solar system, and then the cluster, and then the galaxy and then the galactic filament and then the entire universe itself.