For almost half my life, I lived in Maine, a state whose residents a colleague once described as “kindly anarchists.” There certainly was a cussed independence to Mainers, who showed that trait in 1992 when independent candidate Ross Perot had his best showing there in the presidential election, with 30.44% of the vote, behind Democrat Bill Clinton but ahead of Republican George H. W. Bush.

Independent and third-party candidates have been part of U.S. elections for hundreds of years. “There was a time about a century ago when minor-party and independent candidates were a prominent feature of the U.S. political system,” writes Barry C. Burden, a political scientist and director of the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“While mostly limited to victories in state and local elections, they offered perspectives screened out by the Democrats and Republicans, on issues ranging from immigration to trade,” writes Burden.

But “screened out by the Democrats and Republicans” took on new meaning over the course of the 20th century. “The two major parties have largely run minor-party competitors out of business in intentional ways,” Burden says.

“Although a third party is not likely to have much electoral success anytime soon, they do enrich American politics,” writes Burden. Read his story to understand just how they do that.

Also in this week’s politics news:

Naomi Schalit

Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks on March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Third parties will affect the 2024 campaigns, but election laws written by Democrats and Republicans will prevent them from winning

Barry C. Burden, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Democrats and Republicans try to keep them off the ballot. But third-party campaigns can inject new ideas and force major parties to incorporate a wider array of interests.
NYPD police officers march onto Columbia University’s campus in New York City on April 30, 2024. Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images

Why universities turn to the police to end student protests − and why that can spiral out of control

John J. Sloan III, University of Alabama at Birmingham

While most colleges and universities have their own police units, some schools, like Columbia University, have only private security − and then can call in outside police when they feel it is needed.
People carrying Palestinian flags and banners gather in front of the International Criminal Court on Oct. 18, 2023. Abdullah Asiran/Anadolu via Getty Images

International prosecution of Israeli or Hamas leaders wouldn’t bring quick justice − and even bringing them to court will be difficult

Victor Peskin, Arizona State University

Prosecuting leaders indicted for war crimes is difficult. But the trial of Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic in the early 2000s offers a potential playbook.

Trump trial reveals details about how the former president thinks about, and exploits, the media

Karrin Vasby Anderson, Colorado State University; Tim Bakken, United States Military Academy West Point

Courtroom drama is drawing attention to a broader subject: Donald Trump’s approach to the media.

US long-term care costs are sky-high, but Washington state’s new way to help pay for them could be nixed

Marc Cohen, UMass Boston

What happens in November 2024 could influence other states weighing their own options.

What students protesting Israel’s Gaza siege want − and how their demands on divestment fit into the BDS movement

Mira Sucharov, Carleton University

There’s been a concerted effort in Israel and the US to block this movement’s tactics and goals.

Columbia University protests look increasingly like those in 1968 as police storm campuses nationwide

Stefan M. Bradley, Amherst College

An expert on the Columbia University protests of 1968 draws parallels between protests then and the ones taking place there in 2024.