GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — With the 2024 presidential election still more than a year away, polling has consistently shown Joe Biden and Donald Trump the prohibitive favorites to win each respective party’s nomination.

But a group of current and former office holders, both Democrats and Republicans, are trying to provide an alternative to the two-party system through something called “No Labels.”

The party is well on its way to securing ballot access, which is the first big leap into getting a third-party campaign off the ground. But it’s not just about getting on the ballot — it’s about being a viable alternative to the two current front-runners that “No Labels” says do not appeal to a majority of Americans.

Former Rep. Fred Upton, a Republican from St. Joseph, and former Michigan Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema have seen and heard enough of the current polarization in American politics.

During a taping of “To The Point,” they talked about what they and others are trying to do about it.

“I don’t have a voice today with a Trump-Biden ticket. And the reason I’m supporting “No Labels” is because they give a voice, they give structure, they give national gravitas to the kind of politics that I want to see in America,“ Sikkema, who is from Grand Rapids, said.

Sikkema and Upton both served as Republicans but say the two-party system relies on demonization of the other candidates rather than looking for consensus.

Upton emphasizes that their efforts only apply if Trump and Biden become the nominees of the Republican and Democratic parties. He also points out that it is not about being a spoiler but a real alternative.

“At this point, they recognize many Americans are saying we don’t really want a rematch between Trump and Biden, we’ve done that before. There are almost majorities in both sides that don’t want this to happen again and so what ‘No Labels’ is now looking at is really get on the ballot and be able to turn it over, if in fact it turns out to be Biden and Trump, be able to turn it over to a bipartisan ticket and let them run and actually provide a choice,” said Upton.

The group will have a convention next April to choose their nominees though the criteria for that is still being determined. As for the chances of success, it goes without saying that such previous efforts have not been successful. But it is also fair to consider that with high negatives for both of the current front-runners and many voters lacking enthusiasm for either, a third-party ticket with the right appeal could make inroads in what will likely be a bruising run for the White House in 2024.