Over the course of my lifetime, I’ve had many things stressed to me from all sorts of facets of life. One of the resounding things I’ve heard from most places is that I need to vote. And in a democratic republic like the United States, it is important to vote, because those holding office should reflect the ideas and views of the majority -- or that’s how it’s supposed to go, anyway.

There are many flaws in our voting system and a lot of aspects about it that I’m not too happy with, but with everyone constantly hitting me over the head with “VOTE” signs and the fact that I can’t exempt myself from the rule of whomever is voted in, I will be doing my civic duty come November and voting. But even then I have gotten all kinds of flack from people because I’m voting third party.

“You’re an idiot,” I’ve been told by multiple people. “This is not the time for a protest vote.”

Of course, I know the stakes of either main candidate being voted into office. And that’s precisely the reason why I’m voting for neither.

The point of democracy is to elevate the voice of the people. Of course, there're all sorts of issues that arise from that, since, after all, voices in the minority are easily erased, but those voices are not banned from vying to be heard, and that’s how third party candidates come out. The two-party system in the United States suppresses the ideas of anyone who doesn’t generally adhere to Republican or Democratic thought. This is not how democracy is supposed to work.

Those two categories are far too limiting. There are at least around 30 other political parties that exist, and even some of the bigger ones that have candidates, like the Green Party and the Constitution Party, aren’t candidates that citizens are allowed to vote for in some states. This is not how democracy is supposed to work.

The right to vote is a right that is supposed to broadcast my voice to the government. My voice is not represented by Trump or Clinton. I’ve made up my mind before primaries happened, and even then, I was leaning towards third party. I know for a fact now I’ll vote for nothing but third party after Trump and Clinton were announced as this year’s candidates.

Many people feel the need to settle. They say they know Trump or Clinton is bad, but it’s the only choices we have. You should not have to settle in democracy. You have the capability to vote for another candidate, one that you feel aligns with your beliefs accurately on most subjects. You have the capability to break from the two-party system and do something revolutionary -- as long as you continue voting for your senators, congressmen and congresswomen, governors, district representatives and senators, and mayors. Those smaller pieces of the government matter far more than the president, in truth.

I’m tired of being told that I’m wasting my vote or that it’ll be my fault if someone wins. I’m not stealing my vote for anyone and I’m certainly not giving it to Trump or Clinton by voting third party. Neither of them had earned it originally, and neither of them will receive it. They have neither lost or gained anything from me.

I’m tired of also being constantly told I’m stupid, and that my vote is pointless, and that it’s my fault if the “wrong” candidate gets voted in, and I’m tired of my opinion constantly being disrespected. I cannot in good conscience vote for either candidate because I know of their pasts and I’m worried about their futures. And so I’m giving my vote to someone who I feel deserves it, and to someone I trust. I’m not going to vote for someone I don’t like or agree with just to keep the other out of office. The sooner others realize that, the better.