# Could you make a viable many-party system without ammending the constitution?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-make-a-viable-many-party-system-without-ammending-the-constitution/825278>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [November 29, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-make-a-viable-many-party-system-without-ammending-the-constitution/825278 "2018-11-29T16:57:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2018, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-make-a-viable-many-party-system-without-ammending-the-constitution/825278/41 "2018-12-01T10:25:52Z")

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> [@FlikTheBlue](#):
>
> I think the system in California has some merit as well. Have the two candidates with the most votes in the primary move on to general election. It wouldn’t surprise me if some districts in California end up with a Democrat running against a Green Party candidate. If a deep red state did this you might end up with a Republican vs. a Libertarian. For that individual race it would still be just two parties, but it would be a potential starting point for third parties.

How does that increase scope for third parties? If only two can be on the ballot in the general election, doesn’t that just reinforce the idea that it’s a two-party system?

Has the use of this system in California resulted in more parties getting electoral support?

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**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-make-a-viable-many-party-system-without-ammending-the-constitution/825278/42 "2018-12-01T21:09:31Z")

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> [@kunilou](#):
>
> There’s nothing that prevents it right now, assuming you’re okay with the House of Representatives the President from among the top three electoral vote winners.
> 
> Heck, they did it in 1824.

Yes and that was a disaster with Q promising Clay the Secretaryship of State in order to get his votes. Incidentally, the choice in the House is by states, not representatives, with each state having one vote. Since, for example, PA is 9-9, they would be unable to vote. It is the worst electoral system imaginable. Nearly.

Jefferson/Burr was the only other example and that was pretty disastrous too.

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