Our two-party system is failing America

Imagine a world where Major League Baseball has only two teams. Fans would watch the same two franchises face off every season, vying for the championship. Over time, this duopoly would stifle the thrill of the game. The diversity of playing styles, the rise of underdog teams, and the fresh narratives that make sports exciting would all vanish.

Now apply this to the political realm — a space where stakes are far higher than a pennant — and one begins to understand the shortcomings of the two-party system in the United States.

Proponents of the two-party system often argue that it fosters stability and simplifies choices for voters. In a complex nation of more than 337 million people, the thinking goes that consolidating competing interests into two broad coalitions prevents chaos. The binary nature of the system is supposed to force compromise and ensure a clear mandate for governance.

However, this logic collapses under scrutiny. Instead of unity, the two-party system has exacerbated polarization. The stark division between Democrats and Republicans has turned politics into a zero-sum game where compromise equals betrayal. With each election, ideological battle lines harden, leaving little room for nuanced discourse or bipartisan solutions. The result? Gridlock in governance and a growing sense of frustration among the electorate, a clear sign that change is overdue.

Consider this: In the 2024 general election, an estimated 89 million eligible Americans — roughly 36% of the voting-eligible population — did not cast a ballot. While voter apathy is often blamed, the reality is more complex. Many nonvoters cite disillusionment with a system offering only two choices, neither fully representing their views. The lack of meaningful alternatives leads to disengagement, undermining democracy itself.

If a significant portion of the population feels unrepresented, can we genuinely claim to be a government of the people, by the people, and for the people?

Remarkably, the Constitution does not mandate a two-party system. The founders were wary of factionalism. In his farewell address, George Washington warned of "the baneful effects of the spirit of party." Nevertheless, over time, institutional structures — such as winner-takes-all elections and ballot access laws — have entrenched the dominance of two parties.

This entrenchment has stifled innovation in governance. Multiparty democracies around the world demonstrate that coalition governments can be effective. They encourage negotiation and reflect a broader spectrum of political thought, ensuring that more voices are heard.

The two-party system is a relic that no longer fits modern America's diverse, dynamic fabric. Our nation is too vast and varied to be reduced to red versus blue, liberal versus conservative. Just as no two MLB teams could capture the breadth of talent and strategy in baseball, no two political parties can encompass the full range of American values, priorities, and aspirations.

To move forward, we must rethink the structures that perpetuate this duopoly. Reforms such as ranked choice voting, proportional representation, and easier ballot access for third parties could open the door to a more vibrant political landscape. These changes would empower voters, reduce polarization, and reinvigorate our democracy.

America thrives on diversity — in its people, its ideas, and its possibilities. It is time for our political system to reflect that. Let us imagine a future where elections offer more than a binary choice, multiple perspectives enrich political discourse, and every citizen feels their voice truly matters.

The two-party system has had its innings. It is time to welcome new teams to the field.

This guest essay reflects the views of Nicholas Antonucci, a social studies teacher in the Sachem school district who briefly ran in the 2022 Democratic primary in Congressional District 1.