America's two-party system is not an accident but a direct result of its electoral structure, according to political scientist Lee Drutman. In a discussion with New York Times Opinion columnist Ezra Klein, Drutman argues that shifting to proportional representation could pave the way for viable third parties and give voters more choices.
"We are not a two-party system in America by accident. We are a two-party system in America by structure," Drutman says. "Proportional representation, at least at the House level, might break that structure."
Under the current system of single-winner districts, third parties become spoilers and wasted votes, funneling all energy into the two major parties. The primary system further pressures dissenters to run as Democrats or Republicans. Drutman points out that Bernie Sanders ran in the Democratic primary despite not being a Democrat, and Donald Trump initially ran as a Reform Party candidate before opting for the Republican nomination.
Proportional representation would change the math. In a five-member district, a party only needs about 20% of the vote to win a seat. This would allow multiple parties to gain representation in Congress, breaking the Republican-Democrat duopoly. Drutman imagines a scenario where dissatisfied Republican voters could form a Conservative Party that wins seats without being spoilers.
"You could have five different parties winning a seat in a five-member district," Drutman explains. "Getting 20% of the vote somewhere is actually enough to begin building a party and have power."
Currently, voters often lack the choice to support such parties because they don't exist—organizers know it's a fool's errand under the existing rules. Proportional representation could change that, fostering a more diverse and representative political landscape.