Why can't this country have a third party to actually win an election?

Question

Why can't this country have a third party to actually win an election?

Answer 1

Having only two powerful parties helps politicians keep the illusion that if you don't support the party in office, you have to support the main party in the opposition. For example, the illusion now (but of course not the truth) is that the only way not to be a Republican, is to be a Democrat.



Little by little, many people will stop supporting Bush and will turn to the Democrats. And when most people shift, the Democrats will win again.



But in the shifting, some people don't just go from one party to the other. They go to third parties. One of them will eventually grow big enough to substitute for one of the two main parties, and the two-party political system will be kept, only that now, with a different pair of parties.

Answer 2

Third party candidates win elections all the time - only rarely at the federal level, true, but there are many Independent, Progressive, Green, or Libertarian office-holders at the local or state level.



The main reason that third parties don't win is that the electoral laws in most states are written to favor the existing parties - that is, they make it much easier for someone to run for office as a Republican or Democrat than as a candidate from another party. This makes it difficult for smaller parties to get on the ballot initially and to grow their support over time.

Answer 3

The majority of the people vote democrat or republican. Unfortunatly, if you choose a third party i.e., independent, it will take a vote from the dems or reps. Most likely the third party wont get enough votes so you would be taking the vote away from your second choice.

Answer 4

Because not many people like the 3rd partys, why do you think they are called the 1st and second partys? Because they usually come in first or second, not third.

Answer 5

Lack of a ballot system that let you vote for your second choice, third chioce, etc.