A vote for Jill Stein is a vote for Jill Stein. It’s also a vote for a platform that values people, peace and the planet.
The things that Jill Stein stands for are things that I know many of my friends and neighbors stand for, no matter who they’re voting for. So it disheartens me to hear so many people shaming me with the idea that a vote for Jill Stein is a vote for Trump. It’s untrue, and it’s insulting.
There are some states where Clinton and Trump are so close that third parties could affect the outcome. Massachusetts isn’t one of them. Hillary Clinton will likely win by at least 20 points, so Jill Stein supporters here don’t have to worry about inadvertently supporting Trump.
Progressive voters can happily vote for a candidate who supports their values. And if they vote for Stein, they can know that their vote will make a big impact.
The Green Party won’t win, but it needs 3 percent of the vote to stay on the ballot for the next election. That means they can spend money on campaigns, not petitions. It means they can field candidates in more races. Three percent is not a lot of people.
Voting for Jill Stein can have a tangible impact on creating a more open democracy and breaking out of the two-party trap.
Instead of telling Green Party supporters to make a protest vote for Clinton, we should be encouraging people to vote for whomever they want and to learn about all of the candidates, not just the ones from the two major parties.
Trump won’t win in Massachusetts. So vote for Jill Stein if that’s what you want, and don’t let anyone make you feel guilty. It’s a vote for peace, planet and people – and for keeping that platform on the ballot in the next election.
Gretchen Siegchrist
Holyoke