I know what you might be thinking—like many people say about others who made the same choice as me: 'You wasted your vote!' But for me, that’s not true. Like many others, this was the first election I was able to participate in, and I was confronted with a challenging dilemma. For the many elections that I could sit idly by as a spectator, it seemed like Americans were only forced to choose the lesser of two evils and to settle instead of making a decision they were proud of. I was never particularly fond of this idea, so with my dilemma, I chose to stand by my morals. It may not be the right choice for everyone but it was the right choice for me. 

I want to address the point made by many that my vote was a waste. One significant difference between the third-party candidates and the democratic/republican candidates is the lack of funding. One way to mitigate this issue is if these parties are able to get a minimum of 5% of the popular vote, they would receive funding that would assist in growing their platform and campaign. The challenge with this is that people are so set on voting for the lesser of two evils that it’s not an easy feat for these candidates, but a Reuters/Ipsos poll at the beginning of the year shows that many are "tired of seeing the same candidates in presidential elections and want someone new." 

A major motivation to vote for a third party is to find someone who actually aligns with your view, and that was why I voted for third-party candidate Claudia De La Cruz, and her vice president pick Karina Garcia of the party for Socialism and Liberation. You can read their story and see if their vision also aligns with your views. Part of what made me feel so connected to De La Cruz was that she has been an activist since high school, and she stands firm in her beliefs despite the way public opinion ebbs and flows. Her parents are also immigrants from the Dominican Republic, which for me is a topic I care about deeply so to have a candidate who understands with firsthand experience was refreshing. Today, she remains an activist, and despite the results of the election, she, as well as the whole party, will continue to fight for issues they care for. I watched during campaigns how they spread their message and fought to be a valid candidate on the ballot in each state and protested against the voter suppression that causes them to be an invalid candidate as a write-in in some states.

Voting for a third party allows me to play my small part in protesting against the two-party system that has affected our nation for so long. A system that creates binary stances on complex issues makes it increasingly challenging to address nuanced issues effectively. A system that relies on the financial backing of corporations leads to corporate and special interest influence over policy decisions. This limits the voice of average citizens and prioritizes the interests of the wealthy or connected over the general public. There may be more than two parties on our ballots, but election rules in the U.S., such as ballot access laws, campaign finance restrictions, and debate inclusion criteria, can create significant obstacles for third-party candidates, reinforcing the dominance of the two major parties and limiting alternatives. This is why I voted third party.