Q: Why would someone vote third party?

A: This election might be a good example. People get disenfranchised with the main political parties such as Democrats and Republicans, and they start looking for alternatives—people who are actually reaching out to the needs of (groups who) need more attention.

Q: What is the role of the third party candidates in an election?

A: Usually third party candidates have a very specific platform such as the Green Party or Libertarians who will bring much of individual rights, states’ rights or smaller federal government. Typically they don’t appeal to the masses, but they do bring smaller issues to the forefront of society and debate(s) that sometimes make their ways into the major platforms.

Q: What happens if there’s not a majority of electoral votes for one candidate because the third party has split the votes?

A: If no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes, usually the House of Representatives elects the president from the three presidential candidates who receive the most electoral votes. Each state delegation has one vote.

Q: In your opinion, would it be a waste to vote third party?

A: Yes, but at some point if people want to truly change how current politics work, a third-party candidate is going to have to rise up.

Q: Who are some major third party candidates who in the past have either upset elections or have gotten substantial support/following?

A: Ross Perot is the one that comes to mind for me. A lot of people blame him for costing George Bush Sr. his second term in office. He’d gotten a lot of support, and before he actually dropped out of the race and jumped back in, he was actually making a pretty good run at the presidency.