Understanding Third Party and Independent Candidates In 2024

In 1992, Texas businessman and billionaire Ross Perot made his political debut as the independent candidate during the 52nd quadrennial presidential election where he was able to secure almost 19% of the popular vote. Despite not winning, Perot’s significant run seemed to set the stage for future third-party and independent candidates. 

As American voters go to the polls for the 2024 presidential election, the hope of voting for a third party or independent seems far from reality, but it is possible.

There has been only one person to ever win the presidency of the United Staes as an independent candidate. 

A third-party candidate is a politician who aligns with a political party outside of the two-party system which is currently dominated by Republicans and Democrats. While these candidates are not a part of the two main parties, they are still expected to uphold the policies and values that correspond with their party. 

An independent candidate is a politician that does not align themselves with any political party. While this entails more freedom for the candidate to express their personal stance on a variety of topics, independents typically do not have the financial nor voter support that most party-aligned politicians do. 

Political parties are not a new concept to the U.S., in fact, the first parties were the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists who emerged in 1772 over the debate of the ratification of U.S. Constitution. The only candidate to ever win the presidency as an independent was the very first president George Washington in 1789. 

Washington and Perot are not the only two to try their success as an independent. Another notable figure is former Alabama governor George Wallace who won 14% of the popular vote in the 1968 presidential election. 

Former president Theodore Roosevelt ran for a third term in office under the Progressive Party in 1912. Roosevelt did not win that election, but he secured 88 electoral votes, 80 more than the Republican candidate, William Taft. 

Democracy, Independent and Third-Party Candidates

Despite America’s long history of democracy, third-party and independent candidates find it increasingly difficult to win a presidential campaign because they face financial struggles and overwhelming dominance of the two-party system. In fact, the two factors work hand in hand. 

“Winner-takes-all systems generally create a situation where voting for a third-party candidate is basically throwing away your vote,” said Auburn political science Professor Joseph Aistrup. 

According to an article posted on LSD.law, the winner-takes-all system “is an election in which the candidate who receives the majority or plurality of votes wins all the seats or representation.” 

This system of popular and electoral votes affects independent and third-party candidates differently than republican and democratic candidates because they may win a sizable portion of the popular vote, but it does not guarantee the third party nor independent candidate will win any electoral votes. The electoral college vote is the crucial determining factor in a presidential election. 

Often third-party and independent candidates are not wealthy businesspeople or billionaires like Ross Perot. Fewer funds mean less money can be spent on badly needed national media advertisements, campaign staffers, travel expenses and political marketing swag. 

Another major challenge is the exclusion from national presidential debates. 

According to Goodparty.org, to participate in a presidential debate, the candidate must have an average of at least 15% support in the national polls, a ten-point increase from the 5% required in 1992 as a direct result of Perot gaining 19% of the popular vote. 

Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Vice President, Kamala Harris are not the only candidates sharing their political platforms across the United States. 

There are also twenty-two third party and independent candidates running for president. However, each state does not print them on their ballots. 

For example, in the state of Alabama voters can also select one of the following independent and third-party candidates.  Green party candidate Jill Stein is running for president; the Libertarian candidates are Chase Oliver and Mike ter Maat, and Independent Robert Kennedy Jr and his vice-presidential nominee, Nicole Shanahan are still listed on the ballot although Kennedy suspended his campaign in August and endorsed Trump. 

Despite the numerous obstacles independent and third-party candidates face during election season, some American voters believe they are just as important as candidates running from the two-party system. 

I conducted small informal online survey among 14 multigenerational voters living in different sections of the state of Alabama. 

Survey participants did not want their identities disclosed. 

42.9% said it was not their first time voting in an election. 

One person admitted voting for a candidate outside of the two-party system. 

Another respondent said the American democratic systems needs to allow more than two political parties, “I think it’s tremendously helpful and important. If we continue to only elect these far right and far left politicians to lead our country, division will only increase.”

One more survey taker emphasized, “Third party candidates deserve to be equally considered as the finals in the race because of their motive. To me, many times third party candidates pursue moderate policy and can find middle ground between the two extremes this country has had for decades.” 

Mitchell Brown is the Curtis O. Liles III Professor in the Department of Political Science. She says conducting research is one of the most important ways voters can stay aware of all options for the presidential campaign.

 “It all requires doing work and that work involves learning in advance who’s on the ballot, and looking up information about those people, what they stand for, what policies they support, and most people are willing to put in that kind of effort,” said Brown. 

Putting in the effort to research a candidate’s position on policies and their personal beliefs, regardless of their party affiliation, can enable voters to make a choice at the poll that better aligns with their values. 

Voters in the 2024 presidential should feel encouraged to cast ballots knowing they have more than two candidates to vote for president of the United States.

By Abby Payne - November  4, 2024