In the United States, the election of the president is decided by the Electoral College. In order to win a presidential election, a candidate
must receive 270 electoral votes out of a possible 538. While the Electoral College has operated for
more than 200 years, this method of
voting has many critics. One criticism of
the Electoral College is that it reinforces a two-party system.
Based on the text, what conclusion can be made about the relationship between the Electoral College and third parties?
The Electoral College makes the presidency subject to the will of the majority and fails to fully protect the rights of citizens who
belong to a third party.
The Electoral College creates a consensus among voters by making it difficult for a third-party candidate to run, and in turn ensures
that the president typically agrees with Congress.
The Electoral College requires winning candidates to receive more than half of all electoral votes, which makes it difficult for a third-
party candidate to competitively run for the
office
of
president.
The Electoral College relies on the votes of members of Congress, all of whom already have allegiances to a dominant party and are
unlikely to support a third party.