As Election Day draws near, the debates have gotten hotter. Who’s the better candidate?

Is it President Barack Obama or Gov. Mitt Romney? Obama or Romney? Romney or Obama?

But what about third-party candidates like Libertarian Gary Johnson, Green Party candidate Jill Stein or Constitution Party candidate Virgil Goode?

More emphasis is placed on Democratic and Republican candidates during elections, so much that some voters aren’t even aware of the third party candidates.

“To be honest, I didn’t know who the third party candidates were,” said Jaquita Smith, a senior management major. “I’ve never heard their names, and no one ever talks about them. All I would hear is Mitt Romney and Obama.”

Third party candidates are, in fact, running for president. Libertarian  Johnson is one of the few third party candidates voters are actually aware of.

“I’m voting for Gary Johnson to give him hope for the future and because everyone is so caught up in Romney and Obama,” said Morgan Smith, a sophomore undeclared major. “No one ever stands back to look at all [of] their options. You’re stuck in black and white; step into the gray, baby.”

Johnson stands behind the idea that the government should not interfere with people’s personal beliefs and must be neutral in regards to women and gay rights. He vows to cut spending, cut taxes and reduce federal involvement in the economy by legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana, reducing federal involvement in education and much more. He also vows to simplify legal immigration and tackle illegal immigration.  

Green party candidate Stein takes a strong position on women’s rights. She stands to protect a woman’s right to choose and provide free birth control. She also supports the idea of legalizing marijuana. She wants to provide a tuition-free education throughout college, focus on creating jobs when it comes to the budget and economy and reduce spending via military cuts and preventative health. 

Constitution party candidate Goode takes an opposite position from Stein when comparing women’s rights, as he is pro-life and would submit a budget with zero funding for Planned Parenthood.

He maintains the idea that education decisions should be left up to the states and is opposed to “No Child Left Behind.”

He opposes granting amnesty for illegal immigrants and takes a stand in regards to funding, making it clear that nearly every department will face cuts, and some complete elimination.

No candidate is perfect, but information can be found on all to help one decided who’s the better choice for them. There are more than just two options.