"That being said, I understand people's frustrations with the system and wish there was a legitimate way to support third parties in a way that felt effective."
That makes no sense. What better way is there to support third parties than voting for them?
Your vote isn't going to be the deciding factor in the election, so why not vote for the third party candidate who most closely matches your views?
The better way to support third parties is to vote for them in a system where votes for smaller third parties actually make some form of difference, like a proportional representation system.
I disagree. Not voting for a major party is little better than not voting, when it comes to effecting change.
If there's ever to be hope of voting reform in this country, it has to be done by getting a major party to adopt it, presumably by convincing them that they'll gain a lot of supporters by doing so.
I'm not sure that's true, because they will still have to appease their other constituents in the existing base by making compromises (that will make you not want to vote for them again)
Well, it wouldn't be easy, and I think there's a reason we don't see any meaningful electoral reform, but I don't see another way.
Perhaps one could convince the major parties to support electoral reform by constantly hitting them with spoiling candidates. Run left-wing independents in districts which are typically safe for Democrats but still reasonably close. Run right-wing independents in districts which are close but Republican. If you can get both major parties to get fed up with losing seemingly safe seats due to the first-past-the-post system, that might get them to change it.
That makes no sense. What better way is there to support third parties than voting for them?
Your vote isn't going to be the deciding factor in the election, so why not vote for the third party candidate who most closely matches your views?