It seems as though in every election cycle this same debate arises. Is it worthwhile to vote for a third party candidate, or is it just throwing your vote away? The truth, as in many things, lies in the middle. At the heart of this debate is really the conflict of two values: voting one’s conscience and having one’s voice heard. Local elections are the place for activism; national elections are the place for compromise.

Third parties have a reputation for being spoilers for major party candidates. Ross Perot in 1992, Ralph Nader in 2000; each contributed to the ultimate success of the candidate most dissimilar to their ideology by siphoning votes. Votes that went to these candidates would likely have gone to one of the two party candidates. In a first-past-the-post system like ours, where the winner takes all, its natural evolution is into a two party system, both sides competing for the middle.

Inevitably, some individuals do not feel adequately represented by the major party candidates. Third parties and independents bring fresh ideas to the table and are a vital part of political discourse in our country. Despite this, very few have been successful on the national stage. Only when there are sufficient numbers of individuals disenchanted by the elephant and the donkey do new movements begin. Until that time comes, however, we may all have to settle for the major party candidate that best represents us.

Let’s face facts. Not every ballot weighs the same. This year, voters in swing states like Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin will likely decide the presidential race.

As a voter in Wisconsin, your voice has never mattered more, so it’s important to make it count. Neither Jill Stein of the Green Party or Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party is going to be inaugurated in January, and they have the most visible third party campaigns. Voting for them may feel right, but it’s a raindrop in the ocean. Whether you feel the system is just or not, either Barack Obama or Willard “Mitt” Romney will be the President for the next four years.

There are still ways to affect change. Nearly all politicians start locally and this is where your individual voice is best heard. Furthermore, the voting regulations that allow the two-party system to perpetuate are largely state laws.

If supporting a third party candidate is important to you, local elections are where to start. The state of Vermont, for example, has more than five independents in the state legislature, and one of the two independent U.S. Senators. In more ways than people realize, local politics drive national agendas.

This election is important. As a voter you have to ask yourself: is it more important to make a symbolic gesture against the system as it stands, or to participate in it? Whatever you decide, remember: the only wasted vote is the one not cast.