Third Parties & Strategic Voting

United States electoral methods skew voting power toward a two-party system. The first-past-the-post method of determining a winner not only undermines third-party votes, but the built-in spoiler effect makes these votes contribute to the least appealing choice for that voter.

We examine strategic/tactical voting to mitigate the spoiler effect, while advocating for alternative electoral methods that favor third parties. Lastly, we encourage leftist candidates running in Democratic Party primaries to make space for leftist voices while we are saddled with the two-party system.

Special thanks to Lilith, Queen of Design (@LilithQueenofD1) for assisting with the graphics, and to Comrade JJ for suggesting the topic for this video.

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Sources:

[1] CGP Grey. (2011, Mar 9). The Problems with First Past the Post Voting Explained [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7tWHJfhiyow

[2] Vote Splitting. (2020, Oct. 15). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vote_splitting#Spoiler_effect

[3] Strategic Voting in the 2020 Presidential Election. (2020, May 1). Retrieved from https://www.dsanorthstar.org/blog/strategic-voting-in-the-2020-presidential-election

[4] Palfrey, T. R. (1988). A MATHEMATICAL PROOF OF DUVERGER'S LAW. Social Science Working Paper, 688. Retrieved from https://authors.library.caltech.edu/81155/1/sswp688.pdf

[5] CGP Grey. (2011, Apr 7). The Alternative Vote Explained [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/3Y3jE3B8HsE

[6] Score Voting. (2019, June 10). Retrieved October 21, 2020, from https://electionscience.org/library/score-voting/

[7] Approval Voting. (2019, June 13). Retrieved October 21, 2020, from https://electionscience.org/library/approval-voting/

[8] CGP Grey. (2011, Sep 26). Mixed-Member Proportional Representation Explained [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/QT0I-sdoSXU

[9] McCrea, L. (Writer). (2010, March 3). Burlington Voters Repeal Instant Runoff Voting [Transcript, Television broadcast]. In Burlington Voters Repeal Instant Runoff Voting. Colchester, Vermont: Vermont Public Radio. Retrieved from https://archive.vpr.org/vpr-news/burlington-voters-repeal-instant-runoff-voting/

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