Third-party and independent candidates for the 2024 United States presidential election

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/third-party-and-independent-candidates-for-the-2024-united-states-presidential-election

1. What is a third‑party or independent candidate in the U.S. presidential election?
2. Why is it hard for third‑party and independent candidates to get on the ballot?

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is a third‑party or independent candidate in the U.S. presidential election?A third‑party candidate belongs to a party that isn’t the Democratic or Republican party. An independent candidate runs without any party name. Both try to bring new ideas to the race.
2. Why is it hard for third‑party and independent candidates to get on the ballot?Each state has different rules that favor the two major parties. Candidates must collect many signatures from voters and raise money, which takes a lot of time and effort.

Third Party: A political organization in the U.S. distinct from the Democratic and Republican parties, offering alternative ideologies and policies.
Independent Candidate: An individual running for office without the endorsement or affiliation of any established political party, relying on personal appeal.
Write-In Candidate: A candidate whose name is not printed on the ballot; voters must manually write their name to cast a vote, often requiring significant voter awareness.
Political Duopoly: A system where two major political parties dominate the political landscape, making it difficult for third parties to gain significant traction.