Joseph Howe, West Des Moines

Letter to the Editor

Your vote for a third-party candidate does count, despite what you might hear from the major-party partisans. First, I hear from Democrats that a vote for Gary Johnson is a vote for Trump, my Republican friends insist that a vote for Johnson is a vote for Hillary.

Partisans from both major parties tell me my vote will be wasted. This is simply a false dilemma; my vote for Johnson is vote for Johnson and has a meaningful impact.

Principally, as a believer in limited government, civil liberties and peace, I cannot in good conscious vote for either Hillary or Trump. While this may help me sleep at night, there are impactful reasons to vote third party. A vote for the Libertarian Party means expanded ballot access and major party status in Iowa for a third party. This expands Iowans’ choices by allowing candidates greater access to televised debates and gaining access to the ballot.

Major party status for the Libertarian Party nationally can mean more equitable treatment in national campaign funding and increase the perception that a third party can be viable.

The political system as is has given rise to Trump and an equally unpopular Hillary. It is time to change now or bear repeating in the future. Don’t waste your vote on the status quo, vote for change.

— Joseph Howe, West Des Moines