Florida voters disgusted

Voters unhappy with Democrats, GOP join small factions

with the status quo are registering with smaller political parties instead of Dems or the GOP.

Margaret Zartman joined the Constitution Party of Florida out of frustration more than a decade ago when she felt leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties were drifting away from principles established by the country’s founding fathers.

So with a bit of research she discovered the Constitution Party, which calls for curtailing the federal government, repealing national firearms legislation, eliminating the federal role in education and a strong support for property rights.

“For me it was about my right to bear arms,” said Zartman, 52, of Winter Springs, who is among a small number of registered voters in Central Florida registered with a handful of little-known parties. “And I think that most people don’t realize that there are other political parties besides Democrat and Republican out there.”

During Tuesday’s primary, residents registered with minor parties will have little to vote on because most races are party contests between Democrats or Republicans.

Mainstream politics don’t appeal to Zartman or her husband and fellow Constitution Party member, David, 47, a former Libertarian. They aren’t alone.

Of the state’s 12.4 million registered voters, nearly 3 percent — or about 335,000 — are registered with the nine minor political parties recognized in Florida, according to state records. In Central Florida, that includes roughly 34,300 voters. Those numbers have stayed roughly the same over the past decade.

Besides the Constitution Party, other minor parties include America’s Party, Ecology Party, Green Party, Independence Party, Independent Party, Libertarian Party, Party for Socialism and Liberation, and Reform Party of Florida.

“I think people who join the minority parties are those who feel frustration with the two main political parties and do some research and they become aware that there is a party that is compatible with their political concerns or political beliefs,” said Bill Cowles, Orange County Supervisor of

Elections.

Cara Campbell of Fort Lauderdale in 2007 helped start the Ecology Party of Florida. Today, it has about 280 registered voters statewide, more than double from four years ago.

“We felt that the environment was getting short shrift” from other political parties, said Campbell, 58.

Despite disgust with the status quo, the two main parties have survived for a long time.

“It’s the funny thing about parties is that the Republicans and Democrats have been surprisingly resilient,” said Aubrey Jewett, a political science professor at the University of Central Florida. “But you just never know. Some people are talking that the Republican Party is actually cracking up under Donald Trump.”

So is it a “wasted vote” casting a ballot for a minority party candidate since it’s unlikely that candidate will win?

“It’s not a wasted vote at all,” Jewett said. “A voter is expressing their displeasure.”

Richard Carpenter, a psychologist from Tampa, agreed. He joined the Green Party of Florida about eight years ago after ringing doorbells for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and later becoming angered by the president’s lack of action in prosecuting whitecollar criminals during the financial crisis.

“I often hear the classic argument that I have to hold my nose and vote for the lesser of two evils,” said Carpenter, 69.

“But I don’t think people are going to do that this year. I’ve been paying attention to politics for 60-plus years and I never have seen this level of cynicism, disgust, suspicion that there is today.”