Final answer:
Third parties have influenced recent presidential elections by raising important issues and shaping major-party platforms. However, they have had limited success in winning the presidency or significant shares of the popular vote. Data from the Federal Election Commission shows that third-party candidates have consistently received less than 5% of the popular vote in recent elections.
Step-by-step explanation:
Third parties have had a notable but limited impact on the election process in recent presidential elections. While third-party candidates have not typically won the presidency, they have influenced the political landscape by bringing attention to important issues and shaping the platforms of major-party candidates. For example, in the 1992 presidential election, Ross Perot's independent campaign focused on reducing the national debt, which put pressure on both major-party candidates to address the issue. Additionally, in the 2016 election, the Green Party's Jill Stein and the Libertarian Party's Gary Johnson brought issues like climate change and criminal justice reform to the forefront of the national conversation.
Despite their impact on the issues discussed during a campaign, third-party candidates have rarely won a significant share of the popular vote in recent presidential elections. This is due in part to the winner-takes-all electoral system in the United States, which disproportionately favors the two major parties. Additionally, third-party candidates often face difficulty in gaining widespread recognition and media coverage, which limits their ability to connect with voters and build support.
According to data from the Federal Election Commission, third-party candidates have received less than 5% of the popular vote in each of the past five presidential elections. In the 2020 election, for example, third-party candidates collectively received only 1.7% of the popular vote. While this may seem like a small percentage, it still represents millions of American voters who chose to support third-party candidates.
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