Opinions expressed in the Op/Ed section of The Knight Crier are not necessarily reflective of the views of the entire staff of the KC.

“I am going to choose the lesser of two evils.” This has been the phrase most synonymous with political elections in the U.S. over the past decade or so. And right now, this is still prevalent.

For the 2024 nomination, the top three candidates in polls today are Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Nikki Haley. In the Nevada GOP primary, in which Trump wasn’t on the ballot, Nikki Haley had lost to ‘None of these candidates.’ To clarify, in the primary election in the state of Nevada, voters can select a “none of the candidates” option if none of the candidates are satisfactory to the voters.

And the supposedly leading candidate for the GOP has officially lost in a primary election to ‘none of these candidates.’

Not only should this serve as an alarming moment in the political landscape, but there has also been a shocking revelation here at North Penn High School. 

For the sake of context, every four years, NPHS hosts a Mock Political Convention that is meant to resemble what state delegates go through during a convention. There is a segment of time dedicated to discussing current political issues and possible solutions or remediations. Then the second half of the convention is set to picking a candidate for the political party that would be best fit for the party’s platform. 

For more on the NPHS 2024 Mock Convention, check out associate editor Riley Roach’s article, North Penn HS continues the 48-year-long tradition of holding Mock Convention.

I had the honor and opportunity to co-chair this event, and one of the biggest shocks to me was that the current leading candidates, Trump and Biden, both received the smallest fraction of the delegates’ (student’s) votes during the Mock Convention. 

At the beginning of the convention, advisor Mr. Brian Haley shared with the audience a handful of statistics that all back up the same truth: the American people are dissatisfied with their current election choices. Per a No Labels/Harris X Poll in December of 2022: 69% of voters don’t want Biden to run again, and 62% of voters don’t want Trump to run again.

It is evident in the polls, the elections, and general public opinion that the current choice of candidates for the presidency in 2024 is not fit. It is time for a shift in the political tide. 

I am not in the position to make a push for any specific candidate, however, I feel that in the upcoming presidential elections we might see a third party emerge and it will be for the better. 

The current format of the electoral system is an uphill battle for a third-party candidate. 

• It is difficult for third-party candidates to gain ballot access
  • Winner-take-all elections favor the dems and reps
• Voters think their vote would be wasted 
• Difficulty to obtain campaign financing and media traction

The system is set up only for a Democrat or a Republican to win, and that should change.

Even if they can’t win an election, the third party in American politics has such an important role today. Introducing new ideas pushes the other major parties and political figures to spark change and provide voters with alternative viewpoints.