I am writing this letter in response to the article “I won’t be voting,” printed on Oct. 20.

Sarah Tisinger, welcome to the two party system. As I speak to people regarding the election, the consensus seems to be that we are forced to choose between two candidates and select the one likely to do the least damage during their term. Candidates promise the world and fall short once elected with no accountability.

Tired of this cycle yet? We could take Tisinger’s approach and bow out, avoiding the pointless decision all together and ushering in another four years of more of the same. Tempting, but I have a better offer. Three little words that could easily change the way America thinks: Third party candidate. What’s this? Third party you say? Shenanigans, sir, shenanigans! If a third party exists, why have I not heard of such a thing?

Actually, there are a plethora of third parties from which to select a better option should you, the educated voter, so choose. Independent, Green, Libertarian, Constitutionalist, Socialist, Communist, the list goes on.

In fact, there are six major candidates recognized nationally as running for president, although you will see no news coverage of their efforts. 1992 saw the first successful attempt in 80 years of a third party candidate, Ross Perot, receiving nearly 20 percent of the popular vote. It can be done.

For a multi-party system model, perhaps we should look north to Canada, where recent elections to parliament selected representatives from no less than 5 parties.

Here is a system where the majority does not exist and the largest party can be overruled by the sum of the smaller parties.

Still convinced change is coming with the two party system? Look to the recent bailout bill, I mean Economic Stabilization Act. This bill was one of the most highly disputed by the American people since prohibition. Constituents called their respective legislators, Democrats and Republicans alike, in a ratio of 1000:1 against the bill, yet passed on its second attempt relatively unopposed, including yea votes by both major presidential candidates. Perhaps we should search for a party/candidate willing to give the rights back to the people.

That being said, I strongly encourage you to research third party candidates, exercise your right to vote, and remember even Mickey Mouse receives one-one hundredth of 1 percent of the popular vote each election year.

Lysle Whitmer

Graduate student

Mechanical engineering