What Do You Say to Clients Who Ask Who You’re Going to Vote For?

Question of the Week

What Do You Say to Clients Who Ask Who You’re Going to Vote For?

Posted Jan 10, 2008, 10:55 am CDT
By Molly McDonough

When it comes to office harmony, religion and politics are considered taboo subjects. But the topics can become unavoidable, especially as the 2008 presidential campaigns shift into gear.

One associate told the Marietta Times in Ohio: “We don’t do political arguments with clients, of course, but for sure among each other. It hones the skills.”

This made us wonder …

How do you handle potentially heated election-year debates around the office? Better yet, what do you say to clients who ask you head-on, “Who are you going to vote for?”

Answer in the comments section below.

Read last week’s question and answers about 2008 New Year’s resolutions.

Our Favorite Answer From Last Week:

"Old Lawyer With New Ideas" writes: “I resolve to step out of line. Lockstep no more. Attorneys have been so beleaguered by anti-lawyer legislation and press for doing anything novel and groundbreaking that I believe we all need to stick to our guns, search for justice and champion it.”

Comments

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Posted by JR - 9 months, 2 days, 19 hours, 59 minutes ago

I have worked in many situations in which I represented a political minority of one. In one election year, I worked directly for a politician of the other party. How did I handle the question? I just put on a cheshire grin. If pressed, I said I needed to make up my mind, which, in truth, I did. In the end, it matters most that I perform my work faithfully.
Posted by PB - 9 months, 2 days, 18 hours, 57 minutes ago

I work as a lawyer-lobbyist in D.C. This question is the ice breaker at many meetings. I look at as an opportunity to educate my clients and hopefully persuade them to vote for my candidate.
Posted by XYZ - 9 months, 2 days, 18 hours, 45 minutes ago

The old standby works well: “The best candidate.”

Although lately it’s more like “The least objectionable candidate.”

My clients are smart. They take the hint and don’t pry further.
Posted by mb - 9 months, 2 days, 18 hours, 39 minutes ago

I’m from New Hampshire, where we have all this political questioning down to a science. “Undecided until I’m in the booth” is a respectable answer, and based on the results of this primary, it’s the most honest!
Posted by jennifer rose - 9 months, 2 days, 18 hours, 38 minutes ago

I tell them I’m going to vote for Ron Paul.
Posted by Andy the Lawyer - 9 months, 2 days, 16 hours, 58 minutes ago

I tell them: ‘If I told you, you’d either adopt me or disinherit me.” If they persist, I remind them that during the 100+ candidate California governor’s race after the recall of Gov. Gray Davis, I voted for Larry Flynt—and invite them to freely speculate about this year.
Posted by DV Lawyer - 9 months, 2 days, 4 hours, 39 minutes ago

As a lawyer for a nonprofit domestic violence agency, I think it’s pretty clear that I’m voting for Hilary!
Posted by jACK jOSEPH - 8 months, 3 weeks, 3 days, 19 hours, 11 minutes ago

I would politely correct the questioner’s grammar; i.e., the inability to distinguish the nominative from the objective case.

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