Explore the history of American political parties, how our system evolved, and reforms that could give every voter a stronger voice.
America's founders actually warned against political parties. In his 1796 Farewell Address, George Washington cautioned that parties would become "potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people."
Despite these warnings, parties emerged almost immediately. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, favored a strong central government and close ties with Britain. The Democratic-Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson, championed states' rights and agrarian interests.
This early division set a pattern: two major parties competing for power, with third parties struggling to gain traction in a winner-take-all system.
The Federalist Party collapsed, and new coalitions formed. Andrew Jackson's Democratic Party (1828) championed the "common man" and expanded voting rights to non-property owners. In response, the Whig Party formed to oppose Jackson's policies.
The slavery debate shattered this system. The Whigs collapsed, and the Republican Party emerged in 1854, explicitly opposing slavery's expansion. Abraham Lincoln's 1860 election marked the rise of the two-party system we know today.
For over 160 years, Democrats and Republicans have dominated American politics. The parties have transformed dramatically—Democrats shifted from a Southern, conservative base to a progressive coalition, while Republicans moved from Northern progressivism to modern conservatism.
Third parties have occasionally influenced elections—the Populists in 1892, Theodore Roosevelt's Bull Moose Party in 1912, Ross Perot in 1992—but none have broken through to lasting success.
Why? The answer lies in how our electoral system works.
Political scientist Maurice Duverger observed that single-member district, plurality voting systems (like America's) tend to produce two-party systems. This isn't conspiracy—it's mathematics.
Imagine an election with three candidates: A gets 45%, B gets 40%, and C gets 15%. Candidate A wins, even though 55% of voters preferred someone else. If C's voters mostly preferred B as their second choice, their vote for C actually helped elect the candidate they liked least. This "spoiler effect" discourages voting for third parties, concentrating power in two major parties.
Voters learn that supporting third parties often means "wasting" their vote or inadvertently helping their least-preferred candidate win. Over time, this consolidates power into exactly two parties.
In most states, primary elections determine each party's nominee. But primary turnout is typically very low—often 15-25% of eligible voters. The voters who do participate tend to be the most ideologically motivated.
If 20% of voters participate in a primary, and a candidate wins with 35% of that vote, they've secured the nomination with support from just 7% of the electorate. In safe districts where one party dominates, winning the primary essentially means winning the seat—giving a small fraction of voters enormous power.
This dynamic rewards candidates who appeal to the most engaged (often most extreme) primary voters, rather than the broader electorate. Politicians fear primary challenges from their flanks more than general election opponents, pushing both parties toward their extremes.
The two-party system can amplify views held by relatively small groups while marginalizing the moderate majority. Research consistently shows that most Americans hold nuanced, mixed views—yet our political system rewards ideological purity.
The result: politicians who represent their party's activist base rather than their constituents, and a government that struggles to address issues where broad agreement actually exists.
"The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension... is itself a frightful despotism."
"There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other."
The founders understood that factionalism could threaten democracy itself. When winning becomes more important than governing, and opponents become enemies rather than fellow citizens, the foundations of self-government erode.
Ranked Choice Voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the last-place candidate is eliminated and their votes transfer to each voter's next choice. This continues until one candidate has a majority.
Ranked Choice Voting is not theoretical—it's being used successfully across America:
Uses RCV for state and federal elections since 2022. Their "Top Four" primary advances four candidates regardless of party, followed by RCV in the general election.
First state to use RCV for federal elections (2018). Voters approved it twice by ballot initiative after politicians tried to repeal it.
Uses RCV for primary and special elections. The 2021 mayoral race featured 13 candidates with robust debate and voter engagement.
From San Francisco to Minneapolis to Salt Lake City, dozens of municipalities use RCV for local elections.
Allow all voters—regardless of party registration—to participate in primary elections. This ensures candidates must appeal to a broader electorate, not just party loyalists.
Take map-drawing away from politicians and give it to nonpartisan commissions. States like California and Arizona have shown this creates more competitive districts and more responsive representatives.
Combines open primaries (top five candidates advance) with ranked choice voting in the general election. Used in Alaska, this system maximizes voter choice and representative outcomes.
Voters can vote for as many candidates as they approve of. Simple to implement and eliminates the spoiler effect. Used in Fargo, ND and St. Louis, MO.
Despite what headlines suggest, research consistently shows most Americans hold moderate, nuanced views on most issues. A 2022 study found that voters from both parties agree on 90% of fundamental values—yet our political system obscures this common ground.
Electoral reforms can help our government better reflect the actual views of the American people:
Electoral reform is gaining momentum across America. Organizations working on these issues include:
Change starts at the local level. Many of these reforms can be implemented through ballot initiatives and local ordinances.
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