Will there ever be a “multi-party” system (i.e. 5-10 parties) or are we stuck here?
Short answer, we are stuck – at least for the foreseeable future.
There are roughly three types of party government – single parties (China), two party (USA), and multi-party, where 3 or more parties have a legitimate shot at governing in whole or in a coalition (most of Europe).
As you know, the USA has a two-party system.
Why?
Well because the parties in power make the rules governing our elections. And the two major parties, acting like the monopolies write the rules to keep and perpetuate their power.
Ballot Access
Actually getting candidats on the ballot is difficult – more so in certain areas.
Access to the ballot requires filing fees and signature requirements. These requirements vary state by state and by office. Here is a 37 page summary document. 37 pages of ‘summary’!
A third party that wants to field a candidate in every congressional district across the country, we are talking millions of signatures and significant amounts of money.
Winner Take All Elections
In political science, there are few “laws”.
In almost every case as with most social science “it depends….” Is the beginning of most answers.
However, there is Duverger’s Law.
Pssst…Meet Maurice Duverger – doesn’t this French political scientist look exactly like the type of guy that would pen a political science law?
I will paraphrase here (and his law is a bit more nuanced), but single member districts with first past the post elections – favor two party systems. It’s a law!.
The very structure of American elections strongly favors two party rule.
Ideological Void
I will add a third reason.
In most cases, most people clamoring for a third party have few things in common other than rejecting both major parties. (I wrote a great post earlier about third parties in presidential elections)
Most independents act like closeted weak-partisan voters – meaning when pushed, their voting behavior mirrors a partisan voter (just don’t dare call them that).
To date, any third party that has put together a platform ends up being so absolute that they end up running goat sacrificing candidates. Yeah, I am looking at you Libertarian Party.
Try it: write a platform and try to gain buy in. It is so difficult, the GOP doesn’t even have one. BAZINGA!
Conclusion
Without significant changes to the laws and regulations that govern elections, third parties will face nearly insurmountable obstacles – put in place by those that make and benefit from those exact laws and regulations.
One nascent change that is gaining a little momentum is moving away from first past the post elections to rank choice voting. We see this type of ballot in Maine, NYC, Alaska and few other places. I am not a huge fan of the process, but you can learn more about it: https://www.rcvresources.org/how-it-works.
But it is also illustrative of the main point. Those in power loathe to cede it to anyone, and will do all kinds of things to keep it.
In Florida, Ranked Choice Voting was passed in Sarasota for local election via referendum.
Yeah, the State of Florida promptly and quickly banned it (Senate Bill 524) for all elections in Florida with bi-partisan support.
