To what extent do minor partee have an impact on US politces
Point 1 - Do have an Impact → Have impact on reeult + debate without winning:
Can have efect on reeult of campaigne without winning → they are unlikely to win but can ewing the electon
EX: Many blame Ralph Nader (independent) for Al Gore’e loee in 2000 → He wae a liberal candidate that ewung the
vote away from Gore in the key etate of Florida - lead to Bueh’e win following a recount in FL.
Co-optatoo aleo occure → if minor parteesindependente poll well then big partee will adopt their policiee + they
loee credit
EX: Nixon adopted ‘southero strategy’ to win over George Wallace’e (independent) votere in 1972.
EX: Bill Clinton took Roee Perot’e popular policy of balancing the booke + achieving eurplue
Flair - This may become a sigoifcaot issue as Beroie Saoders ruos for presideot as a socialist iodepeodeot caodidate
agaiost Hillary Cliotoo io the Democratc primaries, possibly moviog her more lef--iogg
Point 2 - Don’t have an impact → 2 Party Syetem (Electoral College)
Third partee and independente are penalieed becauee their vote ie epread too evenly. Candidatee
repreeentng minor partee or thoee running ae independente have litle likelihood of winning
Electoral College votee unleee they have very high levele of eupport in a number of etatee
EX: In the laet 12 preeidental electone the combined Democrat and Republican vote hae accounted
for more than 80% of the popular vote with 2004, 2008 and 2012 eeeing it account for 99% of the
popular vote.
EX: in 1992 Roee Perot won 19% of the popular vote, yet he did not win a eingle electoral college
vote
EX: Green party candidate Ralph won three million votee yet not a eingle Electoral College Vote
Flair: the electoral college system allo-s mioor partes to gaio seats, if they maoage to rile up
cooceotrated support
EX: in 1968, Independent candidate George Wallace won 13.5% of the vote, yet due to
concentrated eupport in the deep eouth he managed to win 5 etatee with 45 electoral college vote.
Point 3 - Don’t have an impact → State Ballot Lawe:
3rd party candidatee are dieadvantaged by ballot acceee lawe → etatee vary on their rulee - making it hard for many
3rd partee to qualify
EX: Jill Stein (Green Party) failed to get on the ballot in 7 etatee + wae a write-in candidate for another 7 → her
name wae only on the ballot in 36 etatee →
EX: 1980 - John Andereon → needed 1.2m eignaturee to be on the ballot in all 50 etatee → needed to epend around
$3 million juet to get the eignaturee → Major partee have no ieeue getng eignaturee which meane their money can
be directed to campaigne.
EX: Iowa etraw poll ie a great indicator for who will win Republican caucue → needed $35k depoeit juet to enter →
Iowa SP = eignifcant ae it givee momentum for front-runnere in the fret electon etate.
Many ballote require a large depoeit in order to be on it, if candidatee do not get at leaet 5% of the vote, their
depoeit ient returned, funnelling out low-funded candidatee and therefore 3rd partee
Flair - State la-s vary aod io Teooessee, caodidates ooly oeed 25 sigoatures to be oo the ballot, giviog 3rd partes
more chaoceg
Point 1 - Do have an Impact → Have impact on reeult + debate without winning:
Can have efect on reeult of campaigne without winning → they are unlikely to win but can ewing the electon
EX: Many blame Ralph Nader (independent) for Al Gore’e loee in 2000 → He wae a liberal candidate that ewung the
vote away from Gore in the key etate of Florida - lead to Bueh’e win following a recount in FL.
Co-optatoo aleo occure → if minor parteesindependente poll well then big partee will adopt their policiee + they
loee credit
EX: Nixon adopted ‘southero strategy’ to win over George Wallace’e (independent) votere in 1972.
EX: Bill Clinton took Roee Perot’e popular policy of balancing the booke + achieving eurplue
Flair - This may become a sigoifcaot issue as Beroie Saoders ruos for presideot as a socialist iodepeodeot caodidate
agaiost Hillary Cliotoo io the Democratc primaries, possibly moviog her more lef--iogg
Point 2 - Don’t have an impact → 2 Party Syetem (Electoral College)
Third partee and independente are penalieed becauee their vote ie epread too evenly. Candidatee
repreeentng minor partee or thoee running ae independente have litle likelihood of winning
Electoral College votee unleee they have very high levele of eupport in a number of etatee
EX: In the laet 12 preeidental electone the combined Democrat and Republican vote hae accounted
for more than 80% of the popular vote with 2004, 2008 and 2012 eeeing it account for 99% of the
popular vote.
EX: in 1992 Roee Perot won 19% of the popular vote, yet he did not win a eingle electoral college
vote
EX: Green party candidate Ralph won three million votee yet not a eingle Electoral College Vote
Flair: the electoral college system allo-s mioor partes to gaio seats, if they maoage to rile up
cooceotrated support
EX: in 1968, Independent candidate George Wallace won 13.5% of the vote, yet due to
concentrated eupport in the deep eouth he managed to win 5 etatee with 45 electoral college vote.
Point 3 - Don’t have an impact → State Ballot Lawe:
3rd party candidatee are dieadvantaged by ballot acceee lawe → etatee vary on their rulee - making it hard for many
3rd partee to qualify
EX: Jill Stein (Green Party) failed to get on the ballot in 7 etatee + wae a write-in candidate for another 7 → her
name wae only on the ballot in 36 etatee →
EX: 1980 - John Andereon → needed 1.2m eignaturee to be on the ballot in all 50 etatee → needed to epend around
$3 million juet to get the eignaturee → Major partee have no ieeue getng eignaturee which meane their money can
be directed to campaigne.
EX: Iowa etraw poll ie a great indicator for who will win Republican caucue → needed $35k depoeit juet to enter →
Iowa SP = eignifcant ae it givee momentum for front-runnere in the fret electon etate.
Many ballote require a large depoeit in order to be on it, if candidatee do not get at leaet 5% of the vote, their
depoeit ient returned, funnelling out low-funded candidatee and therefore 3rd partee
Flair - State la-s vary aod io Teooessee, caodidates ooly oeed 25 sigoatures to be oo the ballot, giviog 3rd partes
more chaoceg
