I sent in my voter registration papers last week, registering as a libertarian. Now, that's not to say I agree with absolutely everything the libertarians say, but I do agree with a majority of what they say as opposed to any of the other parties. I saw it fit. Personally, I think third parties would do this country a great service.
But, this isn't about me.
We recently started a new unit in my AP Gov class focusing on elections and party politics, and how most Americans feel it isn't worth it to vote for a third party candidate. They feel they are simply throwing away the vote, or handing the election to the opposition. But, let's look take a closer look:
The American system runs on a plurality system, meaning the one who gets the most votes wins, even if that is not a majority of the votes. So, if there are three candidates, the one who wins need only get 34% of the vote to do so. In the '92 election, Ross Perot got about 20% of the vote. IF he would have gotten 14% more, he would have had it! With the number of people who claim they'd simply be throwing their vote away by voting third party, I'd be surprised if that number of people didn't add up to the 14% needed to top the other two candidates.
Now, I know this is just wishful thinking. Alas, we have the electoral college to meddle with, not that it's necessarily a bad thing. But, third party candidates would indeed have to take the bigger states or a majority of the smaller states if they wanted a shot. But hey, 34% isn't a lot of votes. Just a little over one third. If Perot got 20% even after he started acting up at the end of the campaign trail in '92, who's to say what could happen in '08 if a third party candidate presented a strong enough platform? I guess what I'm trying to get at is this: you're never really throwing your vote away. Your vote is your voice, and no matter who you vote for, it still counts. If we get enough people to think that way, maybe we will see a third party finally relinquish control from the Democrats and Republicans.
At the same time, while I do think this whole plurality system does good in giving a shot to the underdog third parties, I also find this a little disheartening:
If a candidate won an election with only 34% of the vote for him (or her), that leaves 66% of the country who didn't vote for him (or her). Kind of scary, eh?
Well, the same thing with the electoral college. How can the person who LOST the popular vote win the election? It's ludicrous!
And I'm right there with you on the third party thing. I have been trying to convince the people around me of that for years! If only all the people who want to vote third party actually DID, we wouldn't be run by these jerks!
I think that third party candidates are good because the force the other two candidates to work harder and be better. Third party candidates do take away votes, but I think they do from both sides. I know that sometimes they do more from one side or the other, but personally I think we need more than three candidates anyway. When I vote I dont feel like I have a choice. It would take alot for me to vote dem, so I vote rep. I feel like I am locked in. I wish I had more choices on the ballet.
Francesca Chambers
We'll most likely never have a major thrid party unless one of the major parties implodes (which is possible...). Our electoral system doesn't support it. They do loosen things up a bit though.
A three-party system would be much more fair to American society. I believe there are enough people like myself who do not fit well with either the Democratic nor the Republican parties that a third party could be created.
Unfortunately, there currently isn't enough capital to back one. Nor the political power (i.e. a leader who can accomplish this).