Voting for the America you want: Getting out of the two party game.
Not ready for Hillary? Annoyed at the options the big two parties are presenting you with, but feeling helpless to do anything out of fear that you’ll be indirectly supporting Republicans by not voting for the Democrats (or in a few cases, the other way around)?
This fear is understandable given the fact that, unlike many other countries, the US does not give voters the opportunity to rank candidates. If you really like a Green, Libertarian, independent or some other candidate, how do you best help them? Here are some thoughts on ways you can vote against the status quo, and still feel like you’re not throwing your vote away.
1. Think of voting for a minor party as an investment that has long-term benefits aside from electing your preferred candidate.
- It sends a message to the candidate who is elected about the views of the electorate. A growing vote for the Green Party would show an elected candidate that there’s a growing support for their policies and concerns in the electorate and that they would do well to listen.
- It increases the case for electoral reform — candidates concerned that they might lose because of a ‘spoiler’ candidate may be more likely to push for reforms toward preferential (ranked order) voting which would help diversify the voices in government. If elected, minor party candidates would also push for electoral reforms that would help end the two party duopoly.
- You’re helping a party to grow and boosting the morale of candidates who will be more likely to make another run if they know they have a growing support base.
- Most importantly: You’re actually voting for something, not against something!
2. Figure out if any of the races you can vote in are going to be close.
If you’re living in a fairly safe electorate for one candidate/party or another, you may as well vote for the candidate you believe most in. The risk of your vote letting a worse candidate win is pretty minimal, and as I’ve mentioned above, it might say more about what you want than voting for one of the big parties.
3. Look especially to local and state legislature races
If you feel your congressional/presidential vote is needed to keep the bad guy out of office, get to know your local and state candidates. These races require fewer votes to win, and are actually the most realistic next-steps for minor parties. They require substantially less financial resources to contest, and have more potential to be people-powered. If these candidates can demonstrate competence in office and develop a track record there is more potential for others from the same party to win other seats, and eventually realistically contest congressional and state executive races.
4. If you have doubts about their platform, ask your candidates questions
A lot of minor party candidates are keen to talk to potential voters, so seek out opportunties to get in touch with them and ask them about their policies. At very least, read through their campaign materials/website.
5. Consider voting for a minor party regardless of how close the race is between the big parties.
There are few exceptions to the rule that both the Democrats and Republicans have sold out to corporate interests. In order for Dem/GOP candidates for major races to get to the point where they are selected they usually have to jump through enough hoops and attend enough corporate fundraisers that their ability to legitimately represent the people is compromised. That’s not to say there aren’t good people running as GOP or Democrat offices, just that the nature of the beast is that the higher up they go, the harder it is to be sure of their integrity. If you believe in a government that isn’t bought and sold, consider voting for candidates that are more likely to support the kind of government you want to have.
Most of all, remember: your vote is an investment in the kind of government you want to have. Make it count!
(Background image “Ballot Bokeh” by Chris Coleman is licensed under CC BY 2.0)
