Maria Glotfelter

Features Editor

The presidential candidate election is right around the corner. Next Tuesday, on November 8, 2016, American citizens will be casting their ballot, and the next leader of the country will be determined. Americans have probably heard more than they wanted to hear about Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee, Donald Trump. However, there are others running for president that do not make it into the spotlight as much as the aforementioned candidates. Many of the third-party candidates are realistic in stating that they know they won’t win, but they want to run for president to influence the voting system to change from its current two-party system. If enough support is gained for third-party representatives, perhaps the voting game will change. Whether you’re voting for Hillary, Trump, or a third-party nominee, remember to get out there and voice your opinion next Tuesday.

Green Party candidate Dr. Jill Stein. Photo via Gage Skidmore
Green Party candidate Dr. Jill Stein. Photo via Gage Skidmore

Green Party: The representative for the Green Party is Jill Stein, an American physician, activist and politician. Stein wishes to raise the minimum wage to $15 and also wants there to be free college tuition. She also has extensive plans for using more renewable energy. These policies may make voters who want more socialism be inclined to support Stein. Stein also ran for the presidential election in 2012. The environmental party is pro-peace.

Ron Hill Imagery
Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson, former Governor of New Mexico. Photo via Ron Hill Imagery

Libertarian Party: Okay, so maybe some of the third-party candidates have gotten more attention from the media. With his famous “what is Allepo” question, Libertarian Party representative Gov. Gary Johnson has had his share of time in the news. However, some Americans may applaud Johnson’s lack of interest in foreign policy, wanting the country to return to isolationism. Johnson stated that he was “frustrated with himself’ following the interview, but made promises to the American people that he would improve his knowledge. Despite his foreign policy stumble, Johnson is one of the more popular third-party nominees. He is running alongside his partner Bill Weld, the former governor of Massachusetts.

American Independent Party Candidate Tom Hoefling. Photo via TomHoefling.com
American Independent Party Candidate Tom Hoefling. Photo via TomHoefling.com

American Independent Party: Ultraconservative voters not wanting to support Trump may have been checking out presidential candidate Tom Hoefling. The American Independent Party is against both same-sex marriage and abortion. The party has a bigger voter base in California. According to the Los Angeles Times, nearly three out of four voters have accidentally registered for this party, thinking they were actually registering as independent.

Party of Socialism and Liberation candidate Gloria La Riva. Photo via Twitter
Party of Socialism and Liberation candidate Gloria La Riva. Photo via Twitter

Party of Socialism and Liberation: The candidate for the Party of Socialism and Liberation in the 2016 presidential election is Gloria LaRiva. Although there hasn’t been too much support for the PSL in past years, this year may result in more voters because of former Democratic presidential nominee Bernie Sanders’s influence.