As a Democratic or Republican nominee will seal our fate, many voters cannot seem to decide between the two. There is much debate on a third party vote, and some claim it is a vote for Trump.
Is it better to vote for who you think is best or for who you think has the best chance?
“I think the only way for change is to signal to the government that you don’t accept the way things are by voting third party,” Lydia Gallo, the President of Young Americans for Liberty GSU, said.
For almost 150 years, the U.S. has been confined to a two-party system. Many voters find themselves settling for a candidate, and the “Settle for Biden” campaign is a prime example of how Americans feel about our current predicament.
It is evident to anyone that citizens do not wholeheartedly support either candidate. So why do we continue to find ourselves having to choose between the “lesser of two evils”?
“The media and the debate committees actively repress third-party candidates because they represent a threat to the status quo, and people will lose their power,” Gallo said.
I know one thing: vote. Even if you can not identify with Trump or Biden, it is not a throwaway vote. If we put enough pressure on our broken system, our generation may have an election to look forward to.
According to the Pew Research Center, 31% of Jorgensen and Hawkins voters say they are extremely motivated to vote, compared with 71% of Trump and Biden voters.
Third-party voters find themselves at a crossroads, either overwhelmed by the reality of the situation or completely unbothered, resulting in a third-party voter hoping for change and a third-party voter who is most likely benefiting from the current system.
“If you feel comfortable enough to vote for someone without a chance of winning, you’re coming from a place of privilege.” Zoe Ebserstat-Beattie, a writer for The GW Hatchet, said.
Obviously, this election will not produce a third party President, and placing a third party vote may be coming from a place of privilege. However, the grievance with third party voting is just as valid as a third party vote itself. The only way to find a silver lining is to understand both want to accomplish change.
Switching the third-party narrative will require Americans to reckon with how broken the two-party system is. A Democratic or Republican president is all we have ever known. Consequently, they get put into office because voters feel there is no other choice.
If we genuinely pride ourselves on freedom, we should realize that voting for who we want is a promise to us. A call to action that challenges the current system is the only way to guarantee change for future generations.
“I think if you are frustrated with the current political environment, then it is time for change,” Gallo said.
It is time not to hope for change without causing it but to rise to the occasion.
