I don't want to be difficult,but couldn't VOTED be a more appropriate solution,since the clue was "plumped FOR", i.e. the substitute should be capable of being used in the same sense without a preposition, which OPTED can't be (as far as I know),whereas VOTED, at least in the U.S.,can be ("I voted him", not necessarily "I voted FOR him",as in Britain) --- or am I hair-splitting??!! Just an idea... for what it's worth...
I don't think my point has been taken:strictly speaking,as I tried to explain,the word VOTED alone is the only valid answer,since FOR was included in the clue.But maybe I'm just being too strict.Take it as you wish.
I agree with maurice's reservations about OPTED but I think that the same problem also applies to VOTED. Of the two I think OPTED is more likely but it also depends on whether the O or V works better on any intersecting answer
If I may say so,that is only one example where it doesn't work, whereas you can vote a president into office (or better,the candidate),then you've plumped FOR him,too:you can't say you OPTED him without the word FOR !!!
Grasscarp:you certainly can in America,believe me! But perhaps the other letters are decisive. I will leave it at that. Not worth getting uptight about.