The 2 Party System Why has it persisted for so long?

American Uniqueness  2 Party System = Rarity (15)  Since parties shared power Rep. Won 17 Presidential Elections Dem. Won 15 Presidential Elections  “Can’t Keep a good dog down” – ; vs ; vs , , 2012-?????????? –Warning to the majority: “dead” party always returns

Existence of 3 rd Parties  Despite “indestructible” appearance…  America First Party,  American Heritage Party  American Independent Party  American Nazi Party  American Party  American Reform Party  Christian Falangist Party of America  Communist Party USA  Constitutional Action Party  Family Values Party  Freedom Socialist Party  Grassroots Party  Greens/Green Party USA Independent American Party  Labor Party  Light Party  New Party  New Union Party Peace and Freedom Party  Prohibition Party  The Revolution  Revolutionary Communist Party  Socialist Action  Socialist Equality Party  Socialist Labor Party  Socialist Party USA  Socialist Workers Party  Southern Party  Southern Independence Party  U.S. Pacifist Party  We the People Party  Workers World Party Constitution Party  Green Party  Libertarian Party  Natural Law Party  Reform Party  Free Soil  Know-Nothing Party (officially called the American Party)  Liberty Party  Greenback  Populist  Fusion Party (primarily in the northern states)  Progressive (including the "Bull Moose" party)  Socialist America First Party  Dixiecrat  American Independent Party:

Why is the 2 Party System so Dominate? Election Systems 3 Possible systems  Proportional  Majority  Plurality System

Proportional Representation (Party List)  European Countries  Party submits list of candidates – ranked by preference – Most important candidates listed first. –Most candidates are unknown.  Campaign emphasizes the party’s platform or top party leaders.  Ballot Ballot

Proportional Representation (Party List) Election Result  Nation votes = seats awarded by Proportion –E.g. If party X wins 5% of vote, it gets 5% of seats –In 300 seat legislature, party X gets 15 seats  Candidates win seats according to their position on the party list –In above example, the first 15 individuals on the party X’s list win.  Advantage or Disadvantage to 3 rd Parties? –Chance of gaining some seats, some influence

Majority Vote France: Ex: 10 candidates for 4 Seats  absolute majority = declared “elected”  “Run-off” elections held week later to fill remaining seats Candidate must get more than 1/8 less 1/2  Continue process until all seats filled  Incentive for 3 rd Parties???? Alliance building

Plurality System “Winner take all” & “First Past the Post” The Problems with First Past the Post Voting Explained

Plurality System and other Obstacles for Minor Parties 1.Winner Take All forces Two Major Parties to have “Broadly” based platforms = pushes minor party supporters to the “fringe” 2.Limited Ballot Access 3.Campaign Financing Rules limits 3 rd Party Candidate 4.Exclusion from Presidential Debates 5.Gerrymandering creates single member plurality districts

Explain this Quote "Third parties are like bees. Once they have stung, they die" historian Richard Hofstadter

Top 10 Minor Party Candidates

A Party List Proportional Representation Ballot BACK

Referendum: The people show their support for an issue by voting for the party/candidate who shares their views on the issue.  If the election is a landside for the party opposing an issue then the people have said they too oppose the issue.  If the election is a landside for the party supporting an issue then the people have said they too support the issue.