Only a 3rd party vote sends that message...
Realistically, here and now, given the small number of third-party votes cast, and the large number of whackjobs associated with third parties (rightly or wrongly), a 3rd party vote sends a simple message:
I'm really stoned.
That's not the message I wanted to send. I'm not stoned.
So, I voted for the candidates that I thought would be the best choices, among those who had a snowflake's chance in hell of actually winning the election.
I'll admit that, in California, that's not so hard, since Republicans are pro-RKBA, they're the opposition party, most of the Democrats are authoritarian socialists, and this is hardly a state in danger of being controlled by the Religious Right. Furthermore, Vern Humphrey is
right on. Sometimes, if you're lost in the woods, starving, and someone offers you a granola bar but you don't really like granola bars, you eat the thing anyway and do your best to get another meal soon, rather than sulking like a spoiled little brat.
For races where there was no acceptable
legitimate candidate, I voted for Clyde, Josephine, Janey and Karen. They're cuter than the candidates, they're smarter than the candidates, and they are all committed libertarians.
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/zoo/ex_absolutely_apes.html