How third parties affect the American Political Process?

Answer 1

The third party candidates will almost always take about 2% of the vote. Though not enough to take any electoral votes they can sway the popular vote, which is called upon if the electoral count is even.

Answer 2

Minor parties based on causes often neglected by the major parties have significantly affected American politics. Third parties often find their roots in sectionalism, in economic protest, in specific issues, in ideology, and in appealing, charismatic personalities. Third parties achieve their greatest successes when they incorporate new ideas of alienated groups or nominate attractive candidates as their standard-bearers. Third parties do their best when declining trust in the two major political parties plagues the electorate. Usually, though, third parties' ideas are eventually co-opted by one of the two major parties, each of them eager to take the politically popular issue that gave rise to the third party and make it theirs in order to secure the allegiance of the third party's supporters.

Answer 3

Well in the past there was the Whig party and free soil party. Today there are the independents. The Whigs supported the supremacy of Congress over the executive and judicial branches. Free soil party was anti-slavery. Independents are people who support some democratic ideas and some republican ideas.