Third Party Politics

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Across
  1. 3. The party Ross Perot ran under in 1992 promoting deficit reduction and budget cuts.
  2. 5. The system that ultimately decides the U.S. president, where most states use winner-take-all.
  3. 6. A major hurdle third parties face to get on election ballots in all 50 states.
  4. 8. The Green Party candidate in 2000 accused of “spoiling” the election for Al Gore.
  5. 12. Many voters believe third parties can’t win, so they don’t vote for them.
  6. 17. The Libertarian candidate who ran for president in 2012 and 2016.
  7. 19. The party Jill Stein represented in the 2016 presidential election.
  8. 20. A third party that splits off from a major party, often centered around a strong personality.
  9. 21. A demographic bloc that votes together and that parties try to appeal to.
  10. 23. Third parties often excluded from presidential debates, limiting exposure.
  11. 24. The fear that voting for a third party will help elect the voter's least favored major candidate.
Down
  1. 1. Limited coverage by major news outlets making it hard for third parties to get attention.
  2. 2. A third party rooted in economic discontent or sectional interests, like the Populist party.
  3. 4. State laws and regulations that make it hard for third parties to qualify for ballots.
  4. 7. A major third party in the U.S. known for its libertarian views.
  5. 9. A major barrier as third parties struggle to raise money compared to major parties.
  6. 10. A type of third party built around a popular individual that may disappear when they leave.
  7. 11. When a third party candidate takes votes away from a major candidate, potentially changing the election outcome.
  8. 13. Difficulties third parties face, including fundraising, media access, and ballot restrictions.
  9. 14. A third party focused on one public policy matter, like prohibition or right to life.
  10. 15. The dominant system in the U.S. that makes it difficult for third parties to win elections.
  11. 16. Parties based on a consistent set of social, political, or economic beliefs, e.g., Socialist or Communist.
  12. 18. The electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins all of a state's electoral votes.
  13. 22. The 1992 independent candidate who won nearly 19% of the popular vote.