Despite the historical prospects of this election’s outcome, the two-party system in America has failed to meet millions of voters’ needs. With a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, impending climate crises across the globe and threats to civil rights at home, Democrats and Republicans have engaged in a goose chase with voters, alienating many from their base of support.
The most pressing issue the U.S. Electoral College system faces is the “winner takes all” precedent. Besides Maine and Nebraska, the remaining 48 states and the District of Columbia assign all their electors to the winner of the majority vote, even if by slim margins.
This pushes presidential candidates to seek votes in a handful of states across the country whose ever-changing electoral behavior critically influences the race’s outcome. According to NPR, it is estimated that “5% of the voters in five counties in five states could determine the outcome of this year’s contest.” Thus, candidates must turn their attention to these states to win enough votes for their party.
In this process, the needs of those in other states are often sacrificed to pull a larger number of voters from deciding states. This can be seen with Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump’s support of the Israeli government, according to The Times of Israel.
The Israeli government has been accused of committing genocide in Gaza by human rights organizations, including “reasonable grounds” accusations of genocide presented to the United Nations. The Guardian reports that although both candidates have taken moderate stances on the issue, many Arab-Americans and Muslim-Americans feel they have been alienated by the two candidate’s views.
This has caused many voters to seek third-party candidates, such as Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
According to the Council on American Islamic Relations, Stein leads Harris among Muslim-Americans in Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin by at least five percentage points.
This presents a worrying shift for Democrats, especially in a race that is essentially a deadlock tie, according to the final New York Times/Sienna National Poll. Due to the aid given to Israel, Democrats have supported the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and will likely see a portion of their base electorate voting for third-party candidates like Stein.
According to The Washington Post, certain Democrats have voted in favor of sending aid to Israel. The party may thus see a number of usually Democratic supporters voting for third-party candidates, including Stein.
In deciding swing states, even a slight shift in voting patterns could significantly sway the election’s outcome. Yet voting is an inherent right in American democracy. Despite the devastating results that voting for third parties could yield in this election, some Americans are simply tired of failures within the two major parties. If the candidates are not willing to change their stances on major issues such as the crisis in Gaza, they will find that many votes have been cast elsewhere.
Americans will take their grievances to the polls if nothing can be done to reach voters across the country, not just within swing states. Despite these challenges, there are only two candidates who are going to come anywhere close to winning 270 electoral votes: Trump and Harris. Although it is valid to exercise the right to vote in this country, the American political system functions to elect a Democrat or Republican to the White House and no one else.
It is a tragedy that greater political diversity has yet to exist within American institutions, but this is the reality that will be decided Tuesday. It is unlikely that Stein will win the 2024 election, and any loss of votes for the Democratic Party creates a greater space for Trump’s victory.
A vote for a third-party candidate is not a “waste” as publications such as U.S News characterize them, but it does detract from the challenges that face Americans in 2024. Stein cannot save America this election, and the consequences of a Trump presidency could plunge America into a damning and dark place.
There is little time to fundamentally change the election system before Tuesday, but the electoral college that puts Americans in this position is not the solution to their woes.
Aiden is a freshman studying journalism. Please note that the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Aiden? Reach him on Instagram at @aiden_with_an_i_ or email him at ar260223@ohio.edu.
