Missouri Senate candidate Jared Young has announced the formation of a new political party, inspired by his campaign slogan “We Can Be Better.”
“We’re trying to tell people who think our politics doesn’t have to be this ugly and divisive. We’re all on the same team,” Young said. Told. “Some of us may have different ideas about how to achieve our goals, but in reality we are all striving for the same goal. We want to apply the concept of “can be better” to parties. It’s a better party. ”
The Better Party will allow Young to run as an independent candidate, as well as other candidates as well.
“I basically had a choice. I needed 10,000 signatures to get on the ballot as an independent Senate candidate,” Young said. “But I also had the option of using those same resources to gather 10,000 signatures and start a new political party in Missouri. That way, not only would I be on the ballot, but I would also be able to get like-minded people to join the party.” It will also involve other like-minded people running as independents and offering an alternative to the broken two-party system. ”
The Better Party embodies a desire for greater political choice by voting for independent candidates outside the traditional two-party system, but Young said both parties are I feel that there is a shift to He decided to form a new party after interacting with disaffected Missouri voters during his Senate campaign.
“The inability of so many Republicans and Democrats to work together on important issues is bad for Missouri and bad for our country,” said Better Party Chairman Adam Balinsky. “Jared is not only committed to leading change in Washington, but he is also paving the way for other independent candidates to benefit Missouri voters for years to come.”
According to a survey of 524 Missouri general election voter candidates conducted by Y2 Analytics since May, 43% of Missouri voters are not affiliated with either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party; 27% identify as Republican, while 27% identify as Democratic. From 24th to 30th 2023.
This same poll found that 70% of all voters in the state are considering supporting an independent or third-party candidate in the 2024 U.S. Senate race, but Missouri voters 64% of Americans believe the two major political parties are doing a too dismal job representing the American people. A third option is required.
By early summer, Young hopes to collect the 10,000 verified signatures needed to create a ballot. He has not yet identified other candidates to run on the Better Party ticket, but some interested parties have already contacted him about the matter.
After a vote is cast, any party must receive at least 2% of the popular vote for a candidate statewide in order to remain on the ballot for the next two election cycles.
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There are other efforts to create alternative political parties, such as No Labels and the Forward Party, but Young’s Better Party effort is different in that it focuses solely on Missouri.
“I have no national ambitions for this party. This is a Missouri-focused party,” Young said. “I think Missouri’s environment is unique. There’s an appetite for this.”
Additionally, Young hopes his work with the Better Party will remove barriers for other independent candidates seeking voting rights in Missouri.
“I’m not going to create a sane honest third party,” Young said. “I just want to create an avenue for moderate independent candidates to get on the ballot.”
Candidates running as Republicans or Democrats because third-party candidates must first expend resources to get on the ballot and then spend additional effort campaigning with voters and gaining name recognition. They often face challenges that others do not.
“The biggest hurdle for independents is access to the ballot, forcing them to waste a lot of resources just filling out a ballot in the early stages of a campaign,” Young said. “So I hope that by removing this initial barrier for them, we will be able to be more successful in future campaigns and ultimately give Missourians more choice in their elections.” I think that’s what we’re all looking for.”
Ms. Young previously served as chief acquisition officer for G&A Partners, a Joplin-based human resources outsourcing and payroll services company. Although he did not grow up in Missouri, he, his wife, and his six children have made Missouri his home and have lived in the City of Webb for the past eight years.
Young holds a law degree from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic from Brigham Young University.
In his early 20s, he completed internships in every branch of government, learning the intricacies involved in running a city, state, and country. He said his experience living abroad in Europe and the Middle East has made him aware of the diverse cultures and skills in international relations, which he feels will serve the administration well.
