In recent months, the 2024 presidential election campaign has seen more twists than a Chubby Checker tribute tour. Yet, at least one thing remains constant: regarding third-party candidates, experienced voters (and plenty of younger ones) have seen this “movie” before.
In 2016, an extraordinary number of centrists and left-leaners who normally would have supported the Democratic Party nominee — but who had been influenced by decades of disinformation against Hillary Clinton — instead chose Jill Stein or Gary Johnson (or simply didn’t vote). Some even championed the Republican candidate. Thus, many such third-party supporters’ “protest” ballots and no-shows very much assisted in putting Donald Trump and his cohort into the White House.
In 2000, voters similar to those noted above backed not Democratic Party presidential nominee Al Gore, but third-party candidate Ralph Nader — or didn’t vote at all. In light of that election’s incredibly narrow outcome, these specific voters undeniably helped kick-start the eight-year George W. Bush administration — which concluded with two active U.S./foreign wars and the Great Recession (December 2007 - June 2009).
Were GWB and/or Trump even the second choice(s) of these particular voters? For almost all, it seems the answer is a resounding “No!”— another reminder that elections are not games.
Aside from the relatively rare occurrence of a third-party presidential candidate joining a main-party president’s Cabinet, it remains true in America that the sole period during which third-party candidates (and their supporters) can influence Democratic and/or Republican policy positions is only before the general election. Yet, once November arrives — or whenever one casts their general election ballot — a third-party vote does nothing but distort the main-parties race.
In 2024, Americans who choose a third-party presidential option (or who don’t participate) will once again (until ranked-choice voting) not only waste their election power; many such citizens may also inadvertently help their least-preferred candidate become president.
As mentioned at the start of this piece, tens of millions of Americans know this movie all too well. Thus, when the moment to choose a president arrives this fall — or any time before — voters would do well to trust history, skip side shows, and focus on the main event.
Jeremy Fryberger, Ketchum, Idaho
