Objective

• Assess the reasons for the two-party system in the U.S., and decide whether there should be reforms fostering 3rd parties.

• Assess various electoral and party systems, and draw conclusions about which system you would prefer based on their advantages and disadvantages.

Functions of Minor Parties

• QUESTION: What 3rd party examples can you think of?

• Critic & Watchdog• Innovator

– Introduce & support new ideas

– take stand on controversial issues

• “Spoiler” role - pull votes away from a major party

• But very few 3rd party officeholders compared to many other industrialized democracies

Why do we have a two-party system in the U.S.?

• “Two-Party system”• History• Campaign Finance Laws• Media Coverage (e.g. Presidential Debates)• Election laws: Ballot Access• Closed Primaries (must register as D or R) vs. Open

Primaries• Group Discussion: Propose Reforms or Defend system?• Plurality Electoral System

– Single-Member Districts– Plurality elections = Winner Takes All

Plurality Electoral Systems

Examples are based on Legislative Elections:

• Single-Member Districts for Congress: – One candidate elected per district – Plurality Districts (= “winner takes all”):– the person with most votes wins / majority not needed– Hypothetical Example:

• Candidate A (Gerlach) 34%

• Candidate B (Murphy) 33%

• Candidate C (Green Party) 33%

Plurality Electoral Systems

• Used by Britain and U.S.

• Impact: – Party can win strong majority in

Legislative branch without winning majority of popular vote

• EXAMPLE: 2001 Elections

• Labour 41% vote 63% seats

• Conserv 32% vote 25% seats

• Lib Dem 18% vote 8% seats

Britain

Impacts: Plurality System

• Favors single-party or two-party government

• Favors large, moderate, catch-all parties

• Squeezes out small third parties

• Disadvantages:– Votes are “wasted” (e.g. 66% wasted in example)– Decreases competition

• Advantages:– More stability in govt.– More efficiency in govt.

Majoritarian Electoral System

• Single-Member Districts

• Simple-Majority Districts: – Candidate must receive > 50% to win. If not,

runoff between 2 frontrunners.

France

Impacts: Majoritarian System

• More friendly to 3rd parties than Plurality System, because:– Many minor parties in first round– Protest or ideological votes in 1st round– Coalitions formed in 2nd round– Results in 2 coalitions / “party families”

• Advantages– fewer votes wasted (Candidates all elected by majority)– Political Competition (= quality? Accountability?)– Fosters compromise among parties?– Greater legitimacy for elected officials

• Disadvantages– Possibility of crazy results? (e.g. Le Pen and National Front)– Expense of running two elections

Proportional Electoral System• % of votes for party roughly = % of seats in legislature• Multiple-Member Districts: Each district elects

several members to legislature

• 2001 Britain Example (IF a proportional system): • Labour would have 41%

• Conservatives 32%

• Lib Dems 18%

• No clear majority in Parliament

• would be coalition government

Germany

Ireland

Impacts: Proportional System• Fosters participation of 3rd parties• Coalition Governments• Advantages:

– Broader, more diverse representation of public

– Political Competition (= quality? Accountability?)

– Meaningful choice among candidates

– Fewer wasted votes

• Disadvantages:– Coalition governments less stable (e.g. Italy, Israel)

– less efficient? (harder to pass legislation)

– Nominations dominated by party lists?

Group Discussion

• 1) Decide which electoral system you prefer– Take into account many factors (i.e. which system(s) foster

compromise, democratic representation, efficiency, stability, competition, 3rd party participation, which system wastes fewer votes, and any other factors important to you).

• 2) Should we make other reforms to foster 3rd party competition (i.e. media, ballot access, campaign finance)?

• 3) Try to arrive at a group consensus (if not, take a vote). Choose one person to report back on your group’s decisions and disagreements.

Optional DISCUSSIONPlurality, Majoritarian & Proportional Systems

1. Which system most accurately represents the views of all its citizens?

2. Which system is most democratic? Why?

3. Which system fosters the most stability and efficiency in government? Why?

4. Which electoral system do you prefer? Why?