As the 2024 election season ramps up, American voters are once again considering casting their ballots for third-party candidates. On Oct. 31, Colorado State University hosted a panel with communication studies Professor Karrin Vasby Anderson and Christopher Celaya, program assistant for the Straayer Center for Public Service Leadership, to offer insights on third-party voting and the complexities of the American political system.

One of the main points speakers discussed was when it makes sense to vote for third-party candidates and when it can have the greatest impact.

“One thing to pay attention to is the difference between presidential and congressional and local elections is the constituencies can be very different,” Celaya said. “The smaller scaled down you go, the more variability you can get, and the more likely there’s an opportunity for a third party to get representation.”

Celaya emphasized that voting for a third-party candidate will be most impactful during local elections, as smaller races decrease competition between candidates compared to national elections.

“There’s just less competition for other voters, so a vote for a third party in a local election is going to be more impactful than a larger election,” Celaya said.

Panelists also discussed how voting for a third party in Colorado could change state representation as a whole.

“Colorado was purple up until 20 years ago, which is not that long in political time, but we tend to think of it as pretty solidly blue right now,” Celaya said. “But the challenge is if too many people start thinking that way and they all vote third party, then all of a sudden, it becomes purple again potentially.”

“What decision mitigates the most harm for the most people in my community?” -Karrin Vasby Anderson, CSU communication studies professor

Anderson continued the discussion by highlighting the various reasons for voting third party, citing her own experience as a first-time voter.

“I think there are other reasons why people feel compelled to vote third party,” Anderson said. “It feels like a moral act or a safety necessity or a real way to change what’s happening. I know that feeling, and I felt that when I was an undergraduate student.”

Anderson pointed out that the most common reason for her students voting third party is the Israel-Hamas war and the United States’ involvement in it. She also provided insight into how people can navigate that situation when casting their ballots this month.

“I believe it is a human rights catastrophe, absolutely,” Anderson said. “The question is, if you are approaching it from a harms-reduction perspective, which decision — third party, Democratic or Republican — is likely to intensify that human rights catastrophe? That’s not a question that’s my place to answer for anybody else, but that is the question that should be asked. … What decision mitigates the most harm for the most people in my community?”

To end the discussion, panelists called on students to vote for what they believe in but to also take multiple factors into account when making their decision.

“Yes, vote your conscience, but I would encourage you to vote your conscience from a community-minded, deliberative democracy, harms-reduction perspective,” Vasby Anderson said. “If we’re all doing that, I think that’s the way to make sure we have the strongest and healthiest democracy around.”

This resonated with students who attended the panel, as they gained greater insights about the American political system and what factors they should take into account when voting in elections.

“I thought it was really interesting — very insightful from both sides, especially with the communications aspect of it, too,” said Kaleena Antcliff, a first-year political science student. “I feel like the American political system is kind of set in its ways, and a lot of people do think we need to change it, and a lot of people acknowledge it, but from the poli-sci perspective, it’s going to be hard, and people don’t want to make that change.”

Reach Laila Shekarchian at news@collegian.com or on social media @CSUCollegian.