1. 3-4: Third Parties

2. Big Idea: Competing Policy-Making Interests
Enduring Understanding:
Political parties provide opportunities for participation and influence how people relate to government and policymakers.
Learning Objective:
Explain how structural barriers impact third-party and independent-candidate success.

3. Overview of Third Parties
Represent constituents that feel alienated from both major parties
Sense of unresponsiveness
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4. Types of Third Parties Splinter Parties
Form from small factions that break off from major parties
Typically formed around popular individuals
Examples
Progressive Party—Roosevelt (1912)
American Independent Party—Wallace (1968)
Reform Party—Perot (1992)

5. Types of Third Parties Single-Issue Parties Ideological Parties
Focus on advocating an issue, not winning elections
Free Soil Party—anti-slavery
Know Nothing Party—nativism
Green Party—environmental protection
Ideological Parties
Libertarian Party—individualism and reduction of government
Socialist Party—support for labor and regulation of big business

6. Obstacles to Third Parties
Electoral system caters to a two- party system
Winner-take-all format of Electoral College
Winner-take-all single-member congressional districts
Fund-raising issues—536 expensive elections rather than one
Lack of media coverage

7. Role of Third Parties Strong views on controversial issues
Put issues on political agenda
May force major parties to take a strong position
Also serves as a barrier to third-party success
“Safety valve” for discontent within political process
Spoiler role in elections