With this cycle’s presidential election coming to a close, many people feel like they are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Having to choose between suffering through another Hilary Clinton administration and even contemplating the idea of having Donald J. Trump as the new Commander-in-chief seems unbearable. Even though both candidates represent the major parties, Clinton and Trump reflect values that not everyone ahere to.

As a law student, I am learning that law is usually a very grey area of life and almost every court decision is framed by, the circumstances of that time.

I think this idea also largely applies to politics as well (maybe that’s because so many politicians were lawyers first). Political decisions are affected by external factors having to do with the atmosphere of the time. Because politician live in the grey, they do things that aren’t technically illegal but aren’t exactly seen as model, ethical behavior.

Clinton and Trump have both told countless lies throughout their presidential campaign.

However, that seems to just be a common political reality being that politicians are already seen as deceitful, untrustworthy and even willing to break the law in hopes of winning the next election.

This is such a commonality in mainstream culture it’s almost expected, which is why many weren’t surprised that Clinton never got indicted for actions that were so blatantly illegal.

Although people would like to justify their vote for Clinton by acknowledging her years of experience in government, the list of reasons not to vote for her is continually growing.

Between the Benghazi email and her overall flip-flop attitude about many issue to match the audience she is currently addressing, voters find it difficult to believe anything she says.

Alternatively, representing the Republican party, Trump is a real estate mogul worth over a billion dollars who, previously, was a reality television personality. Even though Trump is commended for his business savvy, it’s no wonder voters question his lack of experience and ability when it comes to running an entire country.

The federal government could probably use a bit of consultation when it comes to economic issues but beyond that Trump couldn’t possibly be up to the job of protecting our borders or making those tough decisions that could mean life or death. Unfortunately, there’s no good substitution for experience.

And, if you don’t want Trump or Clinton, there’s always hope for a third-party candidate that comes with every election cycle.

However unlikely, there’s no denying that voting third-party has never looked more attractive than it does this year but there’s always that fear of throwing away your vote because everyone knows that third-party candidates don’t get elected. To this I’d say, always vote your conscience!

Third-party candidates don’t get elected because people think they’re wasting their vote and so many opt to not vote at all or vote for someone they don’t truly believe in.

You should always vote for the person you think would do the best job. Your voice matters and can be valuable but only if you make it heard and voting is the main way to accomplish that.

Even though it may feel like picking the lesser of two evils, it’s every American citizens’ constitutional right to vote and it’s a right that shouldn’t be neglected. Whether you’re voting for Trump, Clinton or you’re rallying for that third-party candidate, every vote matters.

 Elizabeth Fequiere is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected]