Position of third (minor) parties in American politics Submit

Abstract

The American party system characterized with dominance of two party . Republicans and democrats only who compete effectively for presidency , representatives , and senate . but that not prevent third parties from emerge and compete . but why third party candidates have no chance in win for presidency or congress ? one of the major reason lie in American electoral system based on in winner-take-all (or plurality-take-all), the candidate with the largest number of votes wins, even if the margin of victory is extremely narrow or the proportion of votes received is not a majority. Unlike in proportional representation, runners-up do not gain representation in a first-past-the-post system. In the United States, systems of proportional representation are uncommon, especially above the local level, and are entirely absent at the national level. In Presidential elections, the majority requirement of the Electoral College, and the Constitutional provision for the House of Representatives to decide the election if no candidate receives a majority, serves as a further disincentive to third party candidacies.