Electoral system imposes formidable barriers to minor parties and drives politics to the center, says election law expert

Magarian”Minor political parties’ inability to gain traction in the United States does not reflect natural facets of our national character,” says Gregory P. Magarian, election law expert and professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis, home of the 2008 vice presidential debate. “Rather, our legal system imposes formidable barriers to minor parties’ electoral viability. The use of plurality voting (the candidate with the most votes gets the only prize) and single-member districts in congressional and most state legislative elections drives voters to coalesce around only two electoral options, marginalizing any candidate who lacks a major-party brand.” Magarian is available to discuss general election law and electoral system issues.

Electoral college imposes formidable barriers to minor parties and drives politics to the center, says election law expert

Magarian”Minor political parties’ inability to gain traction in the United States does not reflect natural facets of our national character,” says Gregory P. Magarian, election law expert and professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. “Rather, our legal system imposes formidable barriers to minor parties’ electoral viability.” Magarian is available to discuss general election law and electoral system issues.