By Morgan D’Amico
Photo by Rosemary Ketchum
The two-party system is a staple in traditional United States democracy, but in recent years, young Americans show a growing discontent with the traditional cycle of power-play politics. For generations, local, state, and national elections swung between two opposing forces: the GOP and the Democratic Party. Now, the youth of America outspokenly peels back the hide of an outdated political system, exposing a growing need for changes in representation. Here are three reasons why young people are getting involved in third party politics.
#1 Straight-ticket voting limits their beliefs
Polarization in politics is a divisive side effect of bipartisan democracy. With only two parties to choose from, Americans historically pick one side and steadfastly cling to it, often villainizing the opposition. Results in a 2014 study by Pew Research Center show that in the past 20 years, the portion of the Republican Party with unfavorable views of Democrats increased twofold, jumping from 17 percent to 43 percent. The percentage of Democrats fostering adverse views of the GOP more than doubled as well, hiking from 16 percent to 38 percent. While a growing population of each party see the other as a threat, many younger Americans veer from this black-and-white standpoint. 21-year-old Noah Trepper is among the many young, fiscal conservatives that disagreed with the condemnation of Democratic social views, choosing instead to identify as a Libertarian.
“From a social standpoint, I consider myself pretty liberal. I’m in favor of less or no religion in politics as well as equal rights and opportunity for all people regardless of gender, race, country of origin, and sexual orientation,” Trepper said. “However, from an economic standpoint I consider myself a little more conservative. I’m a big believer in free market capitalism and minimal government spending, more tax cuts across the board. The Libertarian Party does a good job of encompassing both of these ideals.”
Like Trepper, Green Party member Mary Deminsky has beliefs that mix both Republican and Democratic standpoints. Rather than take part in the battle between two parties, she and other millennials across the United States are choosing third parties that pick and choose a combination of conservative and liberal stances.
“I’ve started looking at candidates and not feeling good about the bipartisan model,” Deminsky explained. “The Green Party seems to hit the mark for me. The values are just more consistent in line with my beliefs.”
#2 Major politicians pursue outdated concerns
During the Free Speech Movement of the ‘60s, activist Jack Weinberg coined the phrase, “Never trust anyone over thirty.” Every generation of voters is faced with a set of public issues in need of urgent action. After the last midterm elections, the 115thCongress proved to be one of the oldest in American history. Statistics showed that the average representative was 57 years old and the average senator was 61 years old. About one-third of all representatives of age 60 and over presided over districts that held a median age of 35 or under. High numbers of young people are represented by individuals who lack context regarding the concern of American youth. One pressing issue that a growing population of millennials wish politicians fought against is climate change. Georgia State University student Oliver Flint cites his worries about the environment as a major factor impacting his decision to shift to a third party.
“I think that the current climate validates my belief that America desperately needs a genuinely left-wing party that is willing to fight for everyone,” Flint explained. He cites his political ideology as anarcho-communist or libertarian socialist, but identifies with the Democratic Socialists of America. “I would so much rather have a Democrat that doesn’t do enough than a Republican that destroys the planet.”
Although the two-party system does not suit Flint’s beliefs, he generally sides with candidates of the Democratic Party, as third-party candidates rarely win elections. In the future, Flint hopes that third party politicians will gain the momentum to successfully pursue critical problems facing the United States. Over one-third of students at a New York college felt that politicians do not pay enough attention to the concerns and desires of young people. For many American students, like Flint, third-party politicians provide solutions to the needs often ignored by major party candidates.
#3 Lack of representation
A major concern among millennials is feeling misrepresented by the politicians they elect. NBC News conducted a poll that discovered a majority—almost three-fourths—of young Americans feel that a third party is needed to sufficiently represent the public. These millennials agreed that the GOP and the Democratic Party do not accurately represent the views of American people. The disconnect between the two major parties and the youth population leaves young voters voiceless and overlooked. As millennial voter rates rise and young people are becoming more involved in politics, third parties show swelling promise for niche representation. Austin Seay is an active participant in local politics, belonging to the Libertarian Party of Alabama, and he is familiar with the struggles of seeking representation on a national scale.
“I don’t think the United States is cohesive enough to have a strong government at the federal level,” said Seay. “I feel that we’d get along better and run more efficiently if some of the more controversial gray-area matters were left up to the states.”
Identifying with third parties is now a common way for millennials to achieve proper representation, as well as an outlet to find individuals that abide with their belief systems. Independent parties are an experimental path for the expanding community of unrepresented young individuals, fighting to pursue innovative political ideals.