Third-party voters face a tough choice in a tight election

Voters considering a third-party candidate face the same dilemma every presidential election cycle: should they vote their values and get behind a candidate who likely won't win, or settle and support a Democrat or Republican nominee they see as flawed.

This year, Pope Francis weighed in.

“One must choose the lesser of two evils," he said during a news conference on the papal plane in September. He didn't say who — between Vice President Kamala Harris or Former President Donald Trump — was less evil. But he did describe both candidates as anti-life, citing Harris' views on abortion and Trump's on immigration.

Still, many voters can't swallow supporting either candidate. Every four years, millions of American support third-party candidates. While their candidates don't win, these voters can be influential in elections with razor-thin margins.

"It's extremely close and the third party candidates, though very low in percentage numbers, are still factors," Tim Malloy, polling analyst for the Quinnipiac University Poll, said. "When you are looking at a race that could be determined by three or four percentage points, or maybe less, they are still there."

Most polls, including the latest one from NPR/PBS News/Marist, show Trump and Harris locked in a tight race.

Third-party voters are often dedicated to single issues, Malloy said. Topics like abortion, the environment or the war in Gaza "can determine where they go," he said.

GOP's ‘messing around on’ abortion

John Quinn of Maryland, is a millennial and self described pro-life voter. This year, he plans to vote for the American Solidarity Party — a Christian democratic political party that opposes abortion rights.

Quinn said he knows candidates Peter Sonski and Lauren Onak — the ASP's ticket — will lose, but he says he believes his vote means something.

"If the American Solidarity Party’s few votes for a truly pro-life vision are what costs the Republican ticket the election, hopefully in 2028 they take pro-lifers more seriously and aren't messing around on the issue the way they are this year,” Quinn said.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and handed abortion back to the states, reproductive rights have become a galvanizing political position. During the 2022 midterms, voters supported the abortion-rights option on ballot measures in five states — including Kentucky and Montana, which typically have more conservative voters

Harris has made reproductive rights a key part of her candidacy. Meanwhile, Trump has flip-flopped on his abortion stance. Just last month, he indicated he would vote in favor of an abortion-access amendment in Florida, before later clarifying he'll vote no.

For Quinn, these two options left him no choice but to vote third party.

“I wouldn't even know how to weigh which is the lesser of two evils," Quinn said.

It's unclear how many voters Trump stands to lose over his position on abortions, but Onak — who is the vice presidential candidate on the ASP ticket — said her campaign has seen an increase in interest.

"After the GOP changed its platform language on abortion, we saw an increase in people reaching out to us, following us on social media, volunteering for the campaign," Onak said. "We saw an increase in donations."

In July, the Republican Party, in new platform langue, removed references to supporting a national 20-week ban and a constitutional amendment restricting abortion.

Beyond abortion, voters are also struggling with the Republican party's shifting economic and foreign policy position. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is a self-described "Reagan conservative" who supports Ukraine in its war against Russia and believes in the rule of law. He also unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination this cycle.

"I expect to write in a good Republicans name on the ballot," Hutchinson said. "I'm going to stick with my pledge that I'm not going to support a convicted felon [Trump], and that's the reasons for it."

Several high-profile Republicans, including Trump-era officials, have said they will back Harris, but Hutchinson said he believes many Republicans are in the same position as him: and will write in the name of another candidate.

Green Party 'earned my vote' over war in Gaza

In white text on a black background, Anton Navaso posted a paragraph on Instagram explaining his support for the Green Party's Jill Stein — and his rejection of both Harris and Trump.

"First and foremost, I'm opposed to both the Republican and Democratic support for the Israeli government's actions in Palestine, and I like that the Green Party is too," Navaso said in a phone call while packing up for a move to Seattle.

Navazo voted for Biden in the last election. He has little hope Stein will win in 2024, but said it could matter for 2028.

"If either the Democrats or the Republicans think that the Green Party or a third-party vote is why they lost the election, then I think that the next election cycle, they need to try harder to earn the votes of those people," Navazo said.

Roman Fritz, a 20-year-old college student in Wisconsin, said he largely agreed with Navaso, but is conflicted.

"In November, I think I plan to vote for Harris," Fritz said pausing. "I do plan to vote for Harris. However, I'm not going to campaign for Harris. I'm not going to encourage anybody to vote for Harris."

Fritz was the only delegate from the badger state to vote "present" during the nomination of Harris at the Democratic National Convention. And he supports the Green Party's Stein on the issues, but can't stomach a Trump victory .

"I think that the only candidate that could win are Trump or Kamala Harris," Fritz said. "Kamala Harris is the better of the two. My heart definitely, like, isn't fully there just because of the lack of a coherent cease-fire plan" in Gaza.

Last Thursday, leaders of the "uncommitted" movement, a Democratic group that opposes Biden's policy toward Israel and Gaza, said they won't endorse Harris — but encouraged Americans to vote against Trump.

Hundreds of thousands of voters cast "uncommitted" ballots during the Democratic primary in several states — including Michigan and Wisconsin. Biden was at the top of the ticket then, and while Harris has garnered support from younger more liberal voters, it remains unclear how many will vote against Harris over her support of Israel.

'Wednesday morning' thought experiment

Single-issue voters feeling left in the lurch by both Harris and Trump face a dilemma in an election with high stakes.

Archon Fung, a Harvard political science professor who teaches a course titled Politics and Ethics in Unstable Times — offered a solution to voters caught in indecision.

"If you're not in a close state, it's probably OK to really vote your values and vote for a third-party candidate," Fung said because that vote won't throw the election either way. "But if you're in a state that is very close Electoral-College wise, then it's a much, much more difficult decision for you."

Regardless, he said voters have to "own that choice" if they cast a ballot for a third-party candidate — say Stein — in a swing state like Wisconsin and their least preferred candidate wins — Trump, for example.

In this case, Fung suggested the voter close their eyes and imagine it's Nov. 6.

"It's Wednesday morning and it's a Trump win in Wisconsin, and Wisconsin is decisive in the Electoral College," Fung said. "What do you say to yourself when you look yourself in the mirror?"

If the answer is "I'm OK" — then vote third party, Fung said. But if your answer is "what have I done?", then vote for the best between the major candidates.

"I would like for everyone to kind of run through that thought experiment," the Harvard professor said. "What do I say to myself on Wednesday morning?"