Reasons Why the United States Only Has Two Major Political Parties

Campaign finance rules 

The Federal Election Commission require candidates to demonstrate that they have extensive public backing by raising money. The parties are expected to get at least 5% of popular votes in the previous presidential election to receive public funds. This is a barrier for third parties who are coming up and have no influence yet. Therefore, the two parties which are the Democrats and the Republican ends up dominating the elections. The two parties receive full federal financing since they are able to surpass the 5 percent of the national vote thus leaving the minor parties unfunded. 

Restrictive ballot rules and ballot structuring 

Ballot access laws are made by the states which decides on candidates’ representation on the ballots, thus defining the scope of voter choices. Signatures are required to get on the ballot, for instance D.C requires three thousand signatures, which becomes an obstacle for other parties and an advantage for the two main parties that have gained popularity and captured voters’ attention over years. 

Today in the United States, the ballot system is a legislature property hence dominated by the two major parties unlike in the past when the ballot was a property of voters. The reform introduced late in the 1800s lead to introduction of uniform printed state ballots as a move to avert selling and buying of votes. The passing of the law gave legislatures power to determine qualified candidates on the ballot. The two factions, Republican and Democratic Party exert control, over the legislature thus use the power to suppress rising third parties. The legislature award themselves automatic line on the ballot while imposing prohibitive/restrictive requirements to curtail growth of other upstarts. The ballot lines are usually strictly guarded hence making the two political factions control the United States political voting system by artificially locking them in authority. 

Features of the election system make it difficult for minor parties (sometimes called ‘third parties) to gain support? 

First past the post / Winner-takes-all voting system. 

Gaining popular votes is essential in the United States. To gain Electoral College votes for the state, a candidate must win popular votes. Getting the votes is almost impossible for third parties since they lack capacity to crusade on a national level. Consequently, voters perceive voting for third parties as vote wastage since such candidates have little political influence. Therefore individuals end up forming coalitions in a party behind an influential person linked to major parties hoping to get opportunities for political power. 

The electoral system in the United States does not advocate rewards for the political party or contester that comes in the second position. Due to the nature of the electoral system, a party that consistently gains votes but cannot win the overall election gets no incentive. The Republican and Democratic Party thus dominate plurality electoral system to the disadvantage of other third upcoming parties. There is actually no individual or formation preventing formation of third political parties, but it is the plurality electoral system that acts as hindrance to the third party’s endeavors to win votes. 

State regulations 

States in the United States of America have their own regulations pertaining to political parties. Some states usually demand grouping to form parties, for instance North Carolina requires a party to have one thousand individuals as a prerequisite to be established. State legislatures also have influence regarding drawing up of congressional district lines and sometimes might organize districts in a biased manner. The regulations ends up becoming obstacles for third parties. The single member districts in the United States implies that only one member is sent to the legislature by each legislative district. Thus finishing second attracts no benefits. Minor parties thus cannot succeed due to absence of multiple member districts which would imply more members winning legislative seats. 

Third parties in the United States cannot present own presidential bids once the two major parties, The Democratic Party and the Republican have mounted their nominees. This is because time is usually limited between the primary and general elections to gain substantial or significant ballot access to succeed in the Electoral College contest. 

Actual election System/Vote counting/Management of Elections 

A new political party or the minor factions have to gather 250 petition signatures to get on the ballot. This is a restrictive system that hinders third party political formations. Also, the plurality election system favors the two party arrangement. The counting of votes where candidates are ranked in the order of preference is prohibitive for minor parties to win. The first-past-the-post electoral system and the rigid ballot structuring makes it difficult for minor parties.