Mississippi voters will have seven choices for president on their ballots this Tuesday. Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump lead the pack, but five other candidates are still vying for votes.
The Libertarian Party, Green Party, Constitution Party of the U.S., Reform Party and Prohibition Party are on the presidential ballot in Mississippi.
The Libertarian Party is on the ballot in all 50 states, the Green Party is on the ballot in 45 states and the Constitution Party of the U.S. is on 24 state ballots. The Reform Party is on 20 ballots and the Prohibition Party is on three state ballots.
Democrats and Republicans are the two largest and oldest political parties in the country. Despite this establishment, some voters say they would consider voting for a third-party candidate.
“Yes, I would if that candidate had beliefs and stances on certain issues that aligned more with my personal beliefs,” Hannah Miceli, a junior forensic chemistry major, said.
Some voters are unaware of the five alternative candidates’ platforms or even their names. Senior mathematics major Amy Clark said she doesn’t know anything about candidates other than Clinton or Trump.
“It’s kind of one of those things where it’s third-party. I don’t think they’re going to get enough of the popular vote to even be able to debate next year,” Clark said.
Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson is the Libertarian Party’s candidate for president in 2016 and was in 2012 as well. His running mate is former Gov. Bill Weld of Massachusetts.
Johnson pledged that his first act as president would be to balance the federal budget by reducing deficit spending without raising taxes. Johnson said he wants to give Americans back their freedom. He supports less government involvement in people’s lives, religious freedom, pro-abortion rights laws and marriage equality.
Johnson believes building a wall or offering amnesty can’t solve immigration problems. He has proposed a more efficient system of work visas, background checks and proof of employment, according to his platform.
Jill Stein is the Green Party’s presidential nominee for 2016, as well as in 2012. Her running mate is activist Ajamu Baraka.
Stein has proposed the Power to the People Plan, which focuses on changing corporate capitalism into a human-centered economy and holding the planet and peace over profit, according to her website.
Some of Stein’s key positions are to create living wage jobs, end poverty, establish medicare for all, establish tuition-free schools and halt climate change by ending fracking, offshore drilling and oil trains.
Stein said she believes in freedom and equality for all by legalizing marijuana, expanding women’s rights, protecting from discrimination and creating a welcoming path for immigrants. Stein wants to demilitarize the police and end police brutality and mass incarceration.
Darrell Castle of the Constitution Party of the U.S. is running as well, with Scott Bradley as his running mate. The two want to chart the country’s course as a free and independent nation, according to their platform.
Adherence to the Constitution is the most important aspect of the Constitution Party. The party wants to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. Castle has said he wants to withdraw from the United Nations, end the Federal Reserve’s control of the monetary system and is against abortion.
Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente is the presidential nominee from the Reform Party as well as the American Delta Party. His campaign is focused on exposing the corruption in the political system and restoring integrity to our Democracy, according to his website. His running mate is Michael Steinberg.
According to his website, Fuente wants to redirect America’s money and resources toward illiteracy and healthcare. He also wants to build a strategy that ultimately replaces non-renewable energy with renewable resources.
Fuente’s platform shows he wants a balanced approach to the federal debt, which requires disciplined spending and tax reform. He wants to vet theories about social reform, healthcare reform and minimum wage by analyzing their consequences and positive impacts.
Jim Hedges is the Prohibition Party’s presidential nominee. His running mate is Bill Bayes.
According to his campaign website, Hedges wants to assist each state in providing free higher education to all qualified citizens as well as minimize the influence of alcohol on higher education. He has a strong resistance to recreational drugs but approves of medical use. Hedges has called for free college tuition, prohibiting gambling and creating a balanced budget.
All five of these candidates, along with Clinton and Trump, will be on the Mississippi state ballot for the 2016 Presidential Election Tuesday.
