As the 2020 U.S. presidential election approaches, once again it’s time to ask—should you vote third party?
While your vote may not lead a selected party to victory, as a dual citizen, I believe voting outside of the Democrat-Republican binary is the best decision for this year’s election.
Some may say that this election is simply too important to ‘throw away your vote’—that voting third party is something that should be saved for a less important election. However, this is the same tired excuse that has kept the Democrats and Republicans in power for generations.
Those who say that our two major parties are unbeatable should take a look at the Federalist Party or the Whig Party of early America. Change is always possible, but only if existing truths are challenged and fought.
Whether you typically vote Democrat or Republican, you’ve likely been disappointed by promises such as former U.S. President Barack Obama’s plan to increase the ‘green’ economy, or President Donald Trump’s pledge to free Washington from corruption.
The very essence of democracy is change, and it should be fairly clear at this point that the current American two-party system has not stood the test of effectiveness.
The only reason our political choices are as limited as they are is because we permit them to be. Many Americans vote for the lesser of two evils, which only serves to elect a government based on dissatisfied compromise. If the citizenry deprives the major parties of their votes in favour of parties with which they truly agree, we could gain a more robust and diverse political environment.
Some may argue that there is the real possibility with this line of thinking to splinter support for the major parties. For example, critics have claimed that a vote for a third party is a vote for Trump, as such voting is likely to splinter the Democrat’s voting bloc. However, this is misguided for two reasons.
First, the most popular third party—the Libertarians—have a platform closer to the Republicans than to the Democrats. So if anything, a vote for third party is most often going to be a vote for not Trump.
Second, in a democracy, it is sometimes necessary to vote to make a point. If we refuse to vote in a manner which actually represents our desires and ideologies, instead opting for consistently voting in the compromise candidate, how can we expect our country to move politically in the direction that we support?
It is the case that every vote taken away from the major parties is a vote they will want back. Even if third parties can’t realistically win at this time, the more votes they receive, the more inclined politicians will be to adopt some of their viewpoints to attract voters back to their platform. There are many ideologies, schools of thought, and concepts Democrats and Republicans consistently overlook, and yet are already represented by American third parties.
It is naive to say that voting third party is akin to throwing away a vote. You cannot throw away a vote if you cast it for something you believe in, but you can throw it away by simply voting for “the lesser of two evils.” If you give the major parties your vote for any reason other than their having earned it through good policy and sound candidates, you are compromising the point of democracy: true and proper representation.
There could not be a better time than now to vote third party and challenge dominant party rule than this time of political instability. Of course, if you agree with the Democrats or Republicans, you should vote for them.
However, if you expect more from your political representatives than the petty partisan squabbling we have seen for quite some time now, voting third party could guide the way to providing that breath of fresh political air the nation needs.
Even if you are alright with voting strategically, think of the principle. You pay taxes, live by law, and love your country. Why should you compromise on the greatest right one has in a democracy? It is not only your right to vote in what you believe in, it is your solemn duty as a citizen of our great democracy.
This election, why not make the decision to say “No, thank you” to two out of touch old men? Why not make it clear that We The People want more ideological diversity than currently resides in politics? Whether you vote for the Greens, the Libertarians, or even the Socialists, you will have the satisfaction of truly voting your mind in the prestigious affair of democracy.
We’ve seen what voting for the lesser evil does. Let’s try the radical idea of voting for a candidate we actually consider to be good.
Featured image by Spencer Colby.
