While reading Aileen Nielsen's heartfelt piece 'Even if Kerry wins, he's a loser,' (Oct. 20) I was struck that she feels like her choices, as a third-party supporter, are so limited. Here's one way to change that: strategic voting through www.votepair.org.
Through its web site, this grassroots effort builds a coalition of progressives across both states and political parties. Democrats in states that are safe for George W. Bush or John Kerry "pair up" with David Cobb, Ralph Nader or Michael Badnarik supporters in swing states. Votepair.org arranges matches among these voters, allowing pairs to get to know each other and to develop a level of trust that each side will fulfill his or her pledge.
The result? Greater support for third parties, as reflected in the popular vote, and a greater chance that Kerry will get the election-deciding Electoral College vote, thereby bringing to an end a Bush presidency, which has been and would continue to be disastrous for everything that progressives care about.
A key motive behind Votepair.org is an issue that Princeton students should be greatly concerned about: The U.S. electoral system does not accurately reflect voter preference. Winner-take-all elections make spoilers out of third-party candidates, the Electoral College overrides the popular vote and the election is decided in a handful of swing states.
Many voters are asking for a better way to elect our president. Votepair.org believes it is essential for the nation to move toward a system that actually reflects a tenet of any democracy — that every vote counts. I imagine that Nielsen and many other Princeton students would agree. Nadia Steinzor The writer is the media coordinator for Votepair.org.
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