Is there any way to curb the use of negative campaigning and “sham” candidates, or are they simply a part of elections?
Absolutely. Stop voting for any candidate that talks about their opponent instead of how they plan to solve problems. Unfortunately, that would mean not voting for anyone, but maybe an election full of write in only candidates wouldn’t be such a bad start.
Good idea!
I’ve long espoused a true “None of the above” slot for every office in every election. If “None of the above” gets the most votes, the election runs again and none of the previous candidates are allowed to run.