To the editor:

One of the major pitfalls of American politics is the biased influence of mainstream media on elections, as Amy Goodman of the Democracy Now news network so concisely articulated in an online commentary back in April (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIUMxyEgxCo). It seems that when a two-party system is so strongly entrenched in the public, media and political paradigms, it is exceedingly difficult for alternative voices to be heard. At the same time, in this election, the presumptive nominees of the Democratic and Republican parties each have the highest reported unfavorable ratings in history: 55 percent and 70 percent, respectively, according to a recent poll. Sadly, much of the populace feels “stuck” with them as the only viable candidates. No wonder so few citizens bother to vote.

Fortunately, the majority of voters are interested in other options for president. In a May 18 Data Targeting poll, 55 percent of Americans said they would favor an independent challenger to Trump and Clinton. This demonstrates that the American people are craving legitimate third-party options such as Jill Stein’s Green Party campaign, which is recently gaining a lot of momentum with its fresh, progressive platform. In a June 21 CNN poll, 7 percent of voters said they would vote for Stein.

In a democratic society, the media should take seriously their responsibility to inform voters about their choices on the ballot. For this reason, the Journal-World should offer balanced coverage of Jill Stein and Green Party initiatives.