The Correct Phrasing for Voting: For or As?

The correct phrasing when soliciting votes for a presidential candidate is to say, "Vote John for President." This construction clearly indicates that you are encouraging the voter to cast a vote for John in the role of President. The phrase "Vote John as president" is less common and could potentially imply that John is already in the position, which is not the intended meaning in a voting context.

Is One More Natural Than the Other?

Either construction is correct. 'For' is the more natural choice, as it aligns better with the fact that the candidate has not been elected or re-elected yet. It makes no difference whether the candidate is an incumbent or not, as the context typically clarifies this. The phrase 'as' is possible in certain contexts, but it would be more natural when used as part of a longer construction that implies his unelected status elsewhere, such as "Please vote for John as the next president of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes 3rd Quora Lodge."

Interpreting the Capital 'P' in 'President'

When one capitalizes the 'P' in 'President,' it typically refers to a very specific presidency, such as the US supremo or Head of the local Students' Union. A lowercase 'p' in 'president' usually refers to the role of president rather than a specific job. You might say, "He would make a good president," if you are thinking he would do a good job in any presidential role. However, when discussing a specific presidency, it would be more appropriate to say, "Trump makes a good/poor President [delete to suit your point of view]."

Addressing Incumbents

If the candidate is an incumbent running for a second term, they are always addressed as 'Mr. President.' This is the same even if they had one term, had a gap, and then ran again. However, the question you might be asking is about the difference between 'for' and 'as.' This is an interesting linguistic discussion, and perhaps only Bill Clinton, known for his nuanced understanding of language, could fully elucidate it.

Why Some Find Both Examples Awkward

Both examples provided in the question are considered awkward. The first example, "Vote John for..." is clumsily structured since the action of "vote" is directed towards "John" rather than the position. You cannot 'vote' him; you can only 'vote for' him. The second example, "…John as President," seems anachronistic, implying that he is already the President, which would make the vote unnecessary.

While respecting the importance of grammatical accuracy, the focus should not be on carrying heavy, complex constructions just to be correct. A more natural and clear option could be, "Vote for John for the Office of the Presidency."

This discussion on the correct phrasing for voting highlights the importance of clarity and precision in language, especially when it comes to political discourse and the democratic process.