Third Party candidates Offer Options

By Tiffany Cobb

It is common to hear people during this election year say voting is like choosing the lesser of two evils. However, there are always more than two choices, even during the presidential election. This year there are over twenty Third Party candidates in the United States

While not all of them are on every ballot, eight of the candidates are on ballots in at least five states. Among those eight are the three Third Party Candidates that are on ballots in all fifty states. These included Gary Johnson, Jill Stein, and Darrell Castle.

Gary Johnson is a member of the Libertarian Party and a former two-term governor of New Mexico. Johnson’s running mate is former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld who also served two-terms. The Libertarian Party is a large supporter of maximizing the right of the individual with the main purpose of government being to help protect individuals.

Dr. Jill Stein is a member of the Green Party. Stein is a practicing physician who has fought for healthy environments and human rights for over 20 years by providing help to nonprofit organizations and communities in need. Stein’s running mate is Ajamu Baraka, a defender of human rights, both domestic and internationally. The Green Party prides themselves on focusing on social justice, peace, and environmental rights.

The final third party candidate on ballots in all fifty states is Darrell Castle, a member of the Constitution Party Castle is a former U.S. Marine Corps member and current lawyer in his own private law firm. His running mate is Scott Bradley, a former Utah Air National Guard member and current independent business owner. The Constitution Party focuses on holding the government to constitutional limits in order to prevent the government from being closely intertwined with citizen individual rights.

While Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton are the two candidates getting the most publicity and may seem like the only choices for the presidency election cycle, it is important to stay informed on all options, including the Third Party Candidates.