Our political system is approaching a breaking point. Free and fair elections are under assault. The rule of law is being trampled, and democracy itself is being questioned. 

It’s time for purposeful, constructive action.

The two-party system is tearing us apart. Neither side has any incentive to compromise; reaching across the aisle is seen as something close to treason. We’ve already experienced here in Michigan what can happen when extremists, convinced that their political opponents are the enemy, try to take matters into their own hands. But when disagreeing about issues turns into an existential battle against the other side, it’s time to recognize that the two-party system itself is making us more and more divided and has to be constructively changed. 

That’s where the Common Sense Party comes in.

The Common Sense Party is for regular Americans who are alarmed at the rise of extremism and don’t feel at home in either major party. Our top goal is to defeat the lurch toward radicalism, authoritarianism, and the refusal of many to abide by the outcome of free and fair elections, by supporting candidates who are committed to democracy, civility and respect for the rule of law. We want moderate, common-sense problem-solving in the driver’s seat in our state.

Rather than a wasted protest vote, we intend to leverage fusion voting to provide voters with a constructive alternative, force moderation between the major parties, and restore balance to our politics.

Fusion voting allows more than one party to nominate the same candidate. The votes under each party label are tallied separately and then added together to decide who wins. With fusion, minor parties can inject new ideas and energy into our elections. Voters don’t have to worry about “wasting” their vote or “spoiling”; instead, voters choose the candidate they like best on the party line that is closest to their values. 

Michigan, like most states, has made fusion voting illegal since the late 1890s. We’re going to challenge that law. When we are successful, the Common Sense Party will be allowed to cross-nominate pro-democracy candidates for the 2028 Michigan elections.

The Common Sense Party is supported by Republicans, independents, and Democrats who support democracy and the rule of law. We are like you: disturbed by the rise of hyper-partisan polarization. The two-party system is not going to self-correct because the incentives for doing so are nonexistent. So, we need to make better rules and structures that get us out of our current two-party “doom loop” and open up our system to new voices and new parties in a way that is constructive.

We’re the Michigan Common Sense Party. We’re going to change the status quo and bring our politics back to common sense.

Join us!