So many of these players think they are playing for weeks down the road, then end up being booted out before getting there. Play the game for today! Worry about tomorrow later.
If you vote out your strong players now, when you get to the merge you'll just be the minority vote later.
In the meantime, never ceases to amaze me how you see people go from cocky to pissed so quickly. They were all ready to go to the drawing rocks until they actually realized one of them was most likely going home, then it's boo hoo.
Just my opinion, of course.