Third Parties

WHAT DO THEY HAVE IN COMMON?

  • Jill Stein

  • George Wallace

  • Ralph Nader

FRUSTRATION WITH U.S. GOVERNMENT

  • Trust Levels:

    • Just 16% of U.S. adults express trust in the federal government.

    • This is the lowest trust level recorded in nearly 70 years.

  • Political Exhaustion:

    • 65% of Americans feel exhausted by U.S. politics.

  • Political Anger:

    • 55% of Americans report that politics make them angry.

VOTERS' DISCONTENT WITH CHOICES

  • Favorable Views:

    • Only 37% of adults hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party.

    • Only 36% of adults view the Republican Party favorably.

  • Implications:

    • Over 60% of voters may desire a different option.

SATISFACTION WITH CANDIDATES FOR 2024

  • Among Democrats: 4% are extremely or very satisfied with the field of candidates.

  • Among Republicans: 13% express similar satisfaction.

IS IT TIME FOR A THIRD PARTY?

TOP 5 U.S. THIRD PARTIES BY REGISTRATION

  1. Libertarian Party: 704,455 registered voters (0.44% of registered voters)

  2. Green Party: 249,276 registered (0.13% of registered voters)

  3. Conservative Party of New York State: 164,826 registered (0.10% of registered voters)

  4. Peace and Freedom Party: 138,238 registered (0.09% of registered voters)

  5. No Labels: 109,920 registered (0.07% of registered voters)

  • Question of Low Enrollment: Why are these numbers so low?

THIRD PARTIES: PROS AND CONS

WHAT ARE THEY?

PROS OF THIRD PARTIES

  • Issue Representation:

    • Allows voters to champion specific issues that are inadequately represented by major parties.

  • Frustration with Status Quo:

    • Displays voter dissatisfaction with the existing political system.

  • Accountability:

    • Holds major candidates more accountable to the electorate.

  • Political Participation:

    • Promotes broader participation in the political process.

CONS OF THIRD PARTIES

  • Wasted Vote Stigma:

    • Voters may perceive their vote as wasted if cast for a third-party candidate.

  • Ballot Access:

    • Difficulty in collecting necessary votes for inclusion on ballots.

  • Federal Matching Funds:

    • Ineligibility for federal matching funds that assist campaigns.

  • Vote Splitting:

    • Can lead to the siphoning of votes away from major candidates, potentially altering election outcomes.

NON-PARTISAN ELECTIONS: YOUR THOUGHTS?

  • Concept:

    • Candidates appear on the ballot without party affiliation.

  • Goals:

    • Encourage candidates to concentrate on issues and policies over party loyalty.

    • Aim to mitigate the negativity often associated with partisan campaigns.

  • Potential Concerns:

    • Would non-partisan elections result in a less informed voter base?

    • Could there be a decrease in voter turnout for both national and local elections?

    • What alternatives would voters utilize in decision-making during such elections?

FINALLY, WHAT IS NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE INTERSTATE COMPACT?

  • Further information will be provided.