Final answer:
Third parties must collect signatures, pay fees, and meet eligibility requirements to get on the ballot. The correct answer is 4) All of the above. This illustrates the difficulty for third parties in the U.S. political system, contributing to the dominance of the two major parties.
Step-by-step explanation:
Unlike the two major parties, in order to get on the ballot, third parties must collect a certain number of signatures, pay a fee, and meet certain eligibility requirements. The correct answer to the question is: 4) All of the above. Candidates who are not affiliated with one of the two major political parties face several challenges when seeking to get on the ballot. They must undergo a complex process that includes collecting potentially tens of thousands of signatures from registered voters, paying registration fees, and meeting specific state-established eligibility criteria such as length of residency, voting status, and age.
This rigorous process is one of the main reasons why the two-party system is so dominant in U.S. politics, as existing election laws create significant hurdles for independent and third-party candidates. These added requirements can make it difficult for candidates without major party support to receive comparable exposure or secure a place on the ballot. In contrast, candidates from the two major political parties receive guaranteed ballot access and additional support such as funding and organizational resources once they secure their party's nomination.