Are there any Americans out there that would consider voting for a 3rd party?

Question

I would like to know why or why not and which ones are most popular because it wouldn't make much sense for everyone to vote for a different party if we really expected possitive change.

Answer 1

I'm an American who's been living in Canada. We have a multiple party system in Canada, and it's great. See, the US Congress has the filibuster to "protect minority party rights", but it's not used as often as it should be, and when it is, it's loudly decried by the other party.

In our case, though, the multiple party system means that one party rarely holds the majority - so parties still need to work together instead of just pushing some crap through the system because they're pwned by Republicans.

So anyways, voting for a third party is a good thing. If you want change, you've gotta vote for it. It might sound like throwing away your vote, but if enough people speak their minds, there might well be a reform in the way politics work anyways.

Answer 2

If you look at the current situation - the GOP has control of both houses of Congress and the Presidency - yet they still have problems passing legislation because they don't have enough votes to stop a filibuster. If a third party came into being, that person could have both majority parties fighting against the third party winner. Only laws where everyone agreed would get passed. A Supreme Court nominee would be seen as too conservative or too liberal - and no one would get confirmed unless the largest majority party agreed with that person's credentials. Good idea - but not likely to work.

Answer 3

I have voted for third party candidates in the past but only when there was such a clear frontrunner that voting for a major party candidate would not have made any difference. I voted for a Green Party for a local government office in a city where I used to live to protest corruption by local politicians in both major parties. I also once voted for a third party candidate who happened to be a friend who I was sure would do a good job. My friend had no real chance of winning but I wanted to be sure she got at least a few votes and she was well qualified if by some strange circumstance she did win.

Answer 4

Even though I am going to hopefully be a politician someday, I do not fully believe in total domination by the republican or democratic party. I believe in voting for the best candidate and I would rather vote for Allen Greenspan than George Bush. I claim neither republican or democrat and never really plan on claiming either. So yes, I always consider voting 3rd party before I consider voting for republican or democrat.

Answer 5

These last few elections have proved that there are Americans who vote for a third (or fourth) party. I personally think a multiparty democracy is more democratic than a two party system. But the change will take a few decades even if the third party has a charismatic leader.

Answer 6

I am an Independent. I have never supported a particular party - I only supported the candidate.

If a viable and intelligent candidate were to run on an independent ticket - I would vote for him(her?) I, for one. am sick and tired of the politics as usual and all of the rhetoric from both sides of the isle.

I am proud to live in the state that gave Ross Perot more than 30% of the popular vote in his unsuccessful bid for president in 1992.

I can still here the "sucking sound" he predicted as jobs were being outsourced due to the passage of NAFTA :-)

Answer 7

Yes,there are,and I'm one of them.I'm a registered Democrat,but,once I'm in the voting booth,I vote as an Independent.I vote across party lines.The last time I did that was last Tuesday,Sept.12th,when we had all kinds of primaries here in NY state.

I don't know if there's an official Independent Party here in NY,but there are parties like the Working Families Party,which was listed in the NY primaries,and,for the 2004 presidential election,Ralph Nader's Green Party was listed,and,he was also listed here in NY as a presidential candidate.

There's also been times in past years here in NY that the Communist Party even had candidates listed in presidential elections & primaries,but,of course I never voted for any of their candidates. Also,in the 1992 NY presidential primary & presidential election,
Ross Perot & his party(whatever it was!)was listed,and he got a lot of votes here.

I think it would be great if there really was a strong & popular 3rd party in this country to break the monopoly that the Democrats & Republicans seem to have.That would make voting more interesting.

Answer 8

I would, I am tired of the politicians using issues for political footballs instead of addressing issues in a manner that will solve the problem.

I would not vote for the 'open borders' libertarians.... UNLESS, they were to pass a law that gave a no parole 5 year prison term and $250K fine to employers of illegal aliens...

As it goes at present, there may only be one or two candidates at any level that I will cast a vote for this year.... no more shall I vote for the lesser of TWO EVILS... it is time to end that crap style of voting ..... or let the commies have the country.... the LEFT SUCKS.... that much I do know. I hate communists and I do not like socialists.

Answer 9

Well, a former wrestler by the name of Jesse Ventura ran for Governor under an independent ticket....and won! Ross Perot, ran under an independent ticket for President in 1992...he didn't win, of course, but took a lot of votes from President Bush (Perot's really a Republican).

Considering the current political climate, I think you have a higher majority out there who would vote for a third party. However, just because you have a higher majority doesn't mean you'll have a majority vote.

But, if the right independent candidate came out and ran for office, I think he/she would have a good chance. Currently, no one likes republicans nor democrats. Here's your campaign strategy---attack both of them.

Answer 10

I registered Green party 12 years ago to do my small part to affect stir. In this direction is the way of the ones who ignore the arguments about taking away from one or the other strategically etc.
To force a change to try and get 3 parties in there I say go Green.
It is possible, and remember its in both interest of the opposition to say you are wasting your time. Could happen in our lifetime.

Its not so much about wherever the Green party stands on any issue. Its to affect the kind of political choas I believe will be necessary to make conscience and not debacle priority in the capitol.
I met Ross Perot shorty and sadly before his own debacle discrediting him from the final stretch of the race.