I’ve been on this train for a long time, but this election is really making me question that position. Personally, I think both the major party’s candidates are dismal at best so it feels terrible to consider voting for either - I don’t want to tell either party, “hey, I like your guy and your platform.” For literally decades, I’ve been of the option that is a party wants my vote then they need to present me with a platform and candidate that I agree with - regardless of what party that actually is.

The problem is, if I vote 3rd party this time around then my greatest hope would be to contribute towards some party finally reaching 5% of the vote in order to receive federal funding for the next presidential election - in 4 years. There’s zero hope that my 3rd-party vote is going to somehow result in a shocking 3rd party presidential election victory though, which means the winner is still going to be one of the two major party’s candidates. I don’t care about voting for the “winning team” or whatever, but I do get the distinct impression that one of the two major party’s candidates has a much higher disregard towards our form of government and could pose a more significant threat to our daily lives as a nation. Thus, for the first time ever I feel myself gravitating towards voting for the “lesser of two evils.” Don’t get me wrong, I think there’s a lot of things the Democrats get right on various party positions (and I think there might be a couple Republicans do, too?) so the “lesser of two evils” phrase isn’t meant to suggest both options are depraved - just that I don’t personally particularly align with either. I am definitely feeling like I have to choose a side though, lest a “greater evil” pull off a win and jeopardize our entire democracy.