'I don't want to settle for the status quo'

In a deeply divided nation continuing to reel from COVID-19, emotions appear to be reaching a fever pitch as Joe Biden and Donald Trump stump for votes in the last days of the volatile presidential election campaign. Some voters say the situation is as much a function of the stranglehold Democrats and Republicans have over the election process as anything else. Their solution: vote for a third party. Continue reading

Third-party vote is not wasted

In recent opinion pieces, Joshua Holzer has suggested that a vote for a third party is a wasted vote and that their supporters should vote for the "lesser of two evils" — Joe Biden for president. Holzer is wrong factually and historically. First, Republicans see Donald Trump as the lesser evil. Should Libertarians and Constitutionalists vote for Trump? Continue reading

Savage says health care needs are Maine's top issue in Senate race

Independent U.S. Senate candidate Lisa Savage wants the country to have universal health care, specifically backing the Medicare for All. YARMOUTH, Maine — When you’re running as an underdog, any signs of support can be welcome. Lisa Savage says she has found support at farmers’ markets, like the one in Yarmouth, where one voter explained why he ranked her first.  “A lot of it is the outside money going into the other traces,” that voter told Savage during a recent visit, referring to the massive amounts of money going to the two parties' candidates in the race—close to $90 million as of October 1.  Continue reading

Utah election watch: The battle over the Salt Lake County mayor's seat

Mayor Jenny Wilson fighting to ward off Republican, Green Party challengers amid chaos of COVID-19 pandemic SALT LAKE CITY — Republicans and Democrats are once again battling it out for one of the most high-profile seats in the state: the mayor of Utah's most populous county. But they're not alone. A Green Party of Utah candidate has made a rare appearance on this year's ballot. He's seeking to shake up what's typically been a two-party race by giving environmentally minded voters another option. Continue reading

Student environmental activists rally for environmental justice in Elizabeth

ELIZABETH, NJ – On Saturday September 26th, the Union County hub of the Sunrise Movement, in collaboration with the Young Ecosocialist Caucus of New Jersey and Cosecha NJ, held a demonstration for environmental justice - "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies" as defined by the US EPA - in Elizabeth. Continue reading

On the issues: U.S. Senatorial Candidate Lisa Savage

Penobscot Bay Pilot has posed questions to each candidate running for U.S. Congressional seats, providing the opportunity for the public to better understand their position on issues important to the state and nation. Candidates responding with their individual written answers will have their responses stored in the Pilot’s 2020 Election Resource Guide. Lisa Savage, Independent, is seeking election to represent Maine in the U.S. Senate. Continue reading

Green Party candidate Muller Paz challenges incumbent democrat in Baltimore’s 12th district

An unusually competitive general election race is heating up in Baltimore City’s District 12, where Green Party candidate Franca Muller Paz has outraised incumbent and establishment Democrat Robert Stokes. Muller Paz, an activist and teacher at Baltimore City College High School, has campaigned on a progressive platform that emphasizes community-centered crime reduction, combating the digital divide and investing in schools. She says the Democratic incumbent has not been fighting for the district. Continue reading

Questions for the 2020 Candidates: Ward 3 Council Craig Cayetano

TAPinto Hawthorne sent a questionnaire to the candidates to help residents get an idea of where they stand on some issues as election day draws near.  The Third Ward council seat was won by the late Garrett Sinning (R) in the 2019 election.  When Sinning passed in November, Anne Marie Sasso and Michael Sciarra sought to fill the seat as interim-councilmember, with Sciarra ultimately carrying the council's vote.  As interim-councilman, he would serve until a special election was held in November.  There are three candidates seeking the votes of Ward Three residents. Continue reading

During open debate, third party candidates say it's really the major parties who are the spoilers

The Free and Equal Elections Foundation (FEEF) hosted its second independent open presidential debate of the year on October 8, an event slated as a rebuke to the presidential debate commission's debates, which have long lacked inclusion and substance. "With the Commission on Presidential Debates reeling in from its poor stewardship of the debate process, today's cross-partisan debate is an opportunity for the nation to advance a much more meaningful political discourse, one that represents our deep yearnings for a more perfect union," said FEEF Co-Founder Christina Tobin during her opening introduction. Continue reading

Beyond the great divide

Lara Lamb stands on the porch of her home on Main Street in Freemansburg borough Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020. Donna Fisher | lehighvalleylive.com contributor Lara Lamb doesn’t worry about fitting into anyone’s idea of what she’s supposed to do. The 34-year-old Freemansburg resident works as a car mechanic by day and does musical theater by night. And when it comes to the election, she isn’t going to let anyone tell her that she should hold her nose and vote for a big-party candidate just because she lives in one of the most important swing counties in the country. Lamb is an unaffiliated voter and will be writing in Howie Hawkins, the Green Party presidential candidate. Continue reading