As discontent grows between American voters and the presidential race draws even closer, we explore whether a third party candidate is a wasted vote

Jaydee Seaforth

Trump Vs Harris may be a no-brainer for some. But for those less swayed by the prospect of the first female Black President, or four more years of Trump, the choice between the two major political parties in the US feels like a choice between poisoned Coca-Cola or poisoned Pepsi. Similar brands, with slightly different manufacturing, selling us the same poisoned product.

This is Western democracy in the 21st century. Republicans vs. Democrats, Conservatives vs. Labour. An incestuous tug-of-war between the dominant two parties, the same politics dressed in different coloured cloaks. So, is it even possible for an independent or third-party candidate like Green nominee Jill Stein to win the presidency? And can a third party candidate ever be worth the vote?

To date, the US has only ever had one independent President, George Washington. The problematic Founding Father remains the only US President to receive a universal mandate to lead - if we exclude women, those without property, Indigenous and Black populations that is. But un-universal suffrage wasn't the only thing left over by the Brits. 

First past the post 

The vast majority of US states, like Britain, have a voting system which disregards the popular vote in favour of a first-past-the-post (FPTP) system. This system has often been criticised for not providing proportional representation. For example, despite securing 3 million more popular votes than Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 election. 

Another issue with the FPTP system is that it almost always leads to two major parties dominating the political landscape. Candidates from smaller parties are constantly criticised for taking votes away from the main two parties, meaning a splitting of the vote. But is a vote for Stein really a vote for Trump? 

It’s easy to see how Trump critics have arrived at this conclusion. Stein is currently on track to achieve about 1% of the vote, and if current polls are anything to go by, this election may be decided by as little as a 1-2% difference in vote share. Given the Greens' positions on key issues like the war on Gaza, trans rights, and reparations, it’s reasonable to conclude that their potential voters aren't weighing their options between Stein and Trump. So while a popular left-wing third party like the Greens could attract Democratic-leaning voters, the Republican Party, under Trump’s leadership, has solidified its right-wing stance, leaving little concern for dissent within its ranks. Still, a vote for Jill Stein is a vote for Jill Stein.

The right to vote

Hundreds did not die for our right to vote for those most likely to win. That is not what Black Americans, Indigenous peoples, women and their allies bled for in the US. The right to have your voice heard and your concerns raised is your privilege. Your vote cannot be stolen because it cannot be owned. Your vote should be earned and lost depending on whether you trust the available candidates can reliably reflect your desires. That is representative democracy. 

Though people who vote for third parties are routinely labelled as naive, one-issue voters and aggressively accused of wasting their votes due to the assumption their candidate could never win, the biggest political threat to both major parties isn’t third parties or independents, it's the swathes of potential non-voters. Recent polls suggest that around 15% of American voters have an unfavourable opinion about their party's presidential candidates, which might affect their decision to vote. Additionally, a third of eligible voters in the U.S. chose not to participate in the last election, leaving 100s of millions of truly wasted votes.

Contrary to its portrayal in the media, political elections are not a game. US voters walk into the voting booth on November 5th not solely with the weight of their nation on their backs but the weight of all people in all countries at the mercy of US foreign policy. From those falling victim to US sanctions in Venezuela and Syria to those still reeling from US-led invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan. That is the burden of living in the heart of the Empire. Should it not be the duty of those in The Capitol to end the Hunger Games? 

Your vote is what gives politicians the permission or mandate to make policy decisions on your behalf. But it’s not just about electing officials. Spoiling ballots, and voting for independents and third parties serve as a means to express your dissatisfaction with current politicians. The Vice President may still be refusing to end arms sales in Israel but she recently published an “opportunity agenda” for Black men, while Trump is making appearances at barber shops. This is because both parties recognise that those votes are not guaranteed. The more dissatisfied the voters and the less politicians can rely on their backing, the more pandering we see. 

Archaic systems for archaic institutions

Though it bears reminding that, unlike the US, the voting system in the UK doesn’t grant the opportunity to vote for the Prime Minister directly, the success of third parties and independents in the UK should still serve as a source of hope for American voters. The UK Green Party secured 4 seats on election night, while the Liberal Democrats gained an astounding 61 seats and six independent candidates completely defied the odds, with one winning by less than 150 votes. The populist Reform UK also did alarmingly well, receiving less than 10% fewer votes than the Conservatives, the party which presided over the country for the last 14 years and has existed for almost two centuries. 

Ending US hegemony might seem an impossible feat. But so too did the abolition of slavery, the end of apartheid, and the end of monarchies across the world. Change is always impossible until people power makes it happen. Even under the current flawed system, major parties have and can be replaced. The Democrats and the Republicans were once third parties, as were the Conservatives and the Labour Party in the UK. All it took was one election and a belief it was possible to change the tide. 

The question of whether voting for a third party or independent is worth it only matters if we are relying on what Audre Lorde calls the “master’s tools” to dismantle the “master’s house”. History has already provided the tools needed to resist. Boycotting, protesting, unionising, and community organising are all big ways to create change outside of our archaic institutions. Elections are not the only source of political action, the fight continues, whoever ends up in the White House.

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Last Update: October 29, 2024