Runoff Elections

[Sisyphus]

I am speaking here of national level elections in the United States.

 

Ok, is there a good reason we don't have runoff elections? I think they would be good for the system primarily because of the issue of third parties. No third party can get a foothold, as is, because when they're first established, no one votes for them, because it is essentially considered "throwing your vote away," because only Democrats and Republicans have any realistic chance. A vote for the Green Party, for example, is foolish, because if you're a Green, then you think Democrats are the lesser of two evils, and by not voting for them you're just helping the greater of two evils. (Let's see how many Greens I can offend.)

 

With a runoff election, however, this problem disappears. You can always vote your conscience without fear of handing victory to one you despise.

 

Now, one might say that there isn't really any point, since the two candidates in the runoff will always be a Democrat and a Republican. And at first they definitely will be. But it seems to me the reason that is is because third parties can't ever get a foothold for the reason I described. Runoff elections aren't unnecessary because there are no strong third parties; there are no strong third parties because we don't have runoff elections. Even if they don't win, they'll be a more powerful force in the debate, which seems like it would have to be a good thing.