The Role Of Minor Parties And Independents In Elections

This midterm season, it's striking to see the large number of candidates vying for a political piece of the pie.

It's a crowded field to be sure, and media outlets including VPR, struggle with how to include as many voices as possible. Some virtually unknown candidates run for high profile offices, and we asked one of them-Independent Lieutenant Gubernatorial candidate Peter Garritano, why he wouldn't rather start from the ground up to build a political base, instead of competing right out of the gate in a contest he has little chance of winning:

(Garritano) "It's a bigger stage really, people running for House don't get to be on TV."

VPR's Mitch Wertlieb broadens the conversation with Tony Gierzynski, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Vermont, who once ran for office himself. Gierzynski says one reason there are so many minor and alternative party candidates in Vermont is that it doesn't require many signatures to get your name on the ballot.

Click listen to hear the interview.