Is it really a good idea to vote for third-party candidates?

Question

I've heard many argue that they offer choices different from those of the Democrats and the Republicans. That being said, though, the main con to voting for a third-party candidate is the fact that it often prevents majority rule. And if you don't have majority rule, chances are that most of the people won't be happy with who's elected.

Answer 1

Interesting point - I tend to agree.

Lincoln was part of a four-way race, and look what happened. Half the country seceded!

But seriously, I think the problem with voting third party is that you cost the candidate who is your first choice out of the top two your vote. It seems pretty clear Perot cost Bush 41 many votes in 1992, and Nader cost Gore votes in 2000. Perot is a different case, but I'm sure most Nader voters would have preferred Gore to Bush 43. But the Nader voters seem to have made the difference.

I for one am not a fan of the "a pox on both their houses" school of thought. The more you think that, the more the party you like LESS gains, because you are "too noble" to vote for the lesser of two evils.

Not the way I want it to be, but the way I think it is.

If you're in a state that won't be close, you can vote third party for president, since the Electoral College is a lock anyway. But if you think your state is going to be close at all, sometimes you have to think whom you would want LEAST, rather than most, when voting.

Answer 2

It would be great if we could get out from the two party rule in this country, but the election laws and everything else in the government has been designed to give the two parties an edge over independents.
If we could get a strong independent candidate, there would be a good reason to try voting for a third party but unless that person has a good chance of winning voting for a third party is a waste of a vote.

Answer 3

Are you arguing, that by voting for the candidate you really want, you will prevent majority rule? Only by voting for the candidate that most represents you, will there be majority rule. If you vote for someone who isn't elected, then you aren't part of the majority. I really hope third party candidates start to get some power and create more diversity in voting choices.

Answer 4

Voting third party does not prevent majority rule. The candidate chosen by the majority of the people will obtain the office. No, the problem many have with third parties is that they are considered "spoilers" in that they syphon off votes for a major party candidate, sometimes enough so that that candidate doesn't win office. Two examples would be Ross Perot in 1992-some claim that many who would have voted for GHW Bush voted for Perot instead, costing the senior Bush the election. Another example is Ralph Nadar in 2000-some claim he syphoned off votes that would have otherwise gone to Al Gore, which cost him the election.

This theory is debatable; one would have to prove that the number of people voting third party in key states would have been enought to turn the state to the other party if all third party voters had voted for the main party candidate who lost.

Many people vote third party to show their displeasure with the major parties, in hopes that there will be enough of their protest votes to influence the party to change their ways. The Progressive Party's showing in the 1900 election may have influenced Teddy Roosevelt's decision to promote Progressive causes such as trust busting and instituting the FDA.

The one time when a third party vote really counts are in local elections. There are many cities where members of third parties have positions as aldermen or commissioners.

Answer 5

Many more people were happy with Clinton than with Bush, and Bush had a larger percentage of the votes. With only two parties, the stakes are higher, and more people are upset when they lose (because 50% lose, versus 30%). I vote third party when i don't have knowledge of the candidates and decide to vote a party (libertarian) I also vote third party in hopes of communicating my dislike with the current two parties. When the election is really important, like these last ones, I vote for one of the major parties, as I want my vote to really count. I am an independent voter, and we are the ones who actually determine the outcome of elections. It depends on who you are, what you expect out of government, and what your choices are.

Answer 6

It's ludicrous, you say if people vote for minority parties there "won't be majority rule" and "people won't be happy", well if people aren't voting for the party that best represents their views, they aren't going to be happy with whomever is elected anyway, people should just vote for the party that best represents them.


And I don't buy the "spoilers" argument, if the minor party candidates are "siphoning" off votes from a major party candidate, that is fine by me, people should not be forced to vote for someone simply because they have no other choice, if the major party candidate does not represent them, he/she should not get their vote. Voting for the lesser evil is what has made this country the mess it is today.

Answer 7

I think you should vote for who you think is best, be it third party or the main two. The biggest problem with third parties is there realy hasn't been a new party to rise up. It is either a republican or democrat platform and it will only appeal to certain voters.

Answer 8

The greatest problem is, senate and congress who is maority democrate and republican. Look now to what is going on with congress and the president and the non- cooperation going on which I might add is the exact same thing that happened during the Carter years. EVERYTHING Carter proposed, republican congress shot down with the best ability they could. Thus resulting in struggles over everything. Whan Reagan took office the hostages in Iran were released due to they understand our congress and president co-operation better than we do. They knew war was for certain when Reagan hit office and they want no part of it. As one that was around in those years the collages here were overflowing with left-wing Iranians. That you won't hear but it's the truth.

Answer 9

If the majority don't even show up to vote, doesn't that kind of impact it as well? I think we need to differently divide existing parties, or come up with new ones. The current parties don't work.

Answer 10

Unfortunately all a third party representative does is usually subtract votes from the Democrat representative.