When theatrics and personal attacks entered the political arena ahead of the 2016 presidential election, voters quickly became lethargic. Sentiments surrounding voting shifted from an empowering freedom to a careless choice of the lesser of two evils.
7.8 million Americans opted out of choosing between Hillary Clinton and now former president Donald Trump, resorting to third-party candidates. Those third-party votes eventually led to Trump’s inauguration – resulting in a conservative Supreme Court and the execution of Marcellus Williams, among other tragedies.
Third parties are discredited in not making a difference, but a shift that is not out-of-reach could have altered the entire election. Specifically, if 70% of the third-party vote in the key states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan went to Clinton, she would have secured the presidency.
In Pennsylvania, a consistent swing state, Trump won by 68,236 votes which equated to a hefty 20 electoral votes. However, Jill Stein and Gary Johnson collectively received more votes than double Trump’s victory margin.
In the case of the 2016 election, voting third-party was cowardly. Many voters didn’t want to commit to Clinton, but they should have known it was the only viable option to prevent a Trump presidency.
A vote for the third party was a vote for Trump. Now, the lasting effects are here.
Trump left America with a concerningly conservative Supreme Court, appointing Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh. Since their appointments, conservative decisions have ruled the state of our democracy – most recently in the case of Marcellus Williams.
Williams was convicted of murdering Felicia Gayle in 1998. He’s been on death row in Missouri for more than two decades. Despite DNA evidence that may have proved his innocence, a slanted jury selection, biased witness testimony and Gayle’s family’s request, he was executed on Tuesday.
The Washington Post reported “Late Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to stay Williams’s execution. The court’s three liberal members — Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson — disagreed and said they would have granted the request to halt the execution.”
Without Trump’s presidency, perhaps the Supreme Court would have halted the execution, and Williams would be alive today.
The systems of the death penalty and the Supreme Court are broken – severely flawed at best. Public outcry for Williams has demonstrated that voters on both sides of the aisle are devastated by the Court’s decision.
Americans must turn this tragedy into an informed vote, focusing on what they can control: the presidency.
In 2016, a third-party vote was certainly the easy way out of a decision many didn’t want to make, but the long-lasting consequences are clear. A conservative Supreme Court allowed Williams to be executed at the fault of Trump – and he has third-party voters to thank for his presidency.
Williams’ death serves as a harsh reminder that every vote counts.
Layne Rey is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Let Layne know by tweeting her @laynerey12.
