Why are Americans so frequently faced with just two viable presidential candidates? And is that a problem — or a benefit? Except for a few exceptions, two major political parties have won, on average, 98% of all state and federal seats in the US. There have been instances — with 2024 being one striking example — when a sizable proportion of voters express a desire for a third option. A third party has been competitive with the two major parties in a few rare cases, even replacing one of the major parties when the new Republican party garnered more votes than the "Know Nothing" party in the 1856 election. But there are a number of reasons why third parties face a difficult road in presidential races, from the winner-take-all voting system to campaign finance and ballot laws, lack of media coverage, and more.

In our May salon, we'll take a historic look at why third parties have risen and fallen in past elections, and what factors are still making it difficult today for a candidate from neither the Democratic or Republican parties to stand a chance. We'll take a look at the pros and cons of other nations' political systems that have more parties but also potentially more complexity in voting and leadership decision-making. 

• "Party systems" - Basic primer on two-, multi-, and single-party political systems and what causes them to emerge around the world from Britannica
• "Why US elections only give you two choices"- ~10-minute video from Vox
• "Can a Third Party Succeed?" an episode of the podcast series You Might Be Right that features Dan DiSalvo, a political scientist and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and Bill Galston, a senior fellow at Brookings and Wall Street Journal columnist.

Date/Time: 

May 18 at 10:45 am (optional 9:15 am hike before)

Location: 

Rossotti's Alpine Inn 

3915 Alpine Rd, Portola Valley, CA 94028

https://www.alpineinnpv.com/