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200355 https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.200355 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2025-05 88 pages Ahmed, Neha Ahmed, Neha Neuner, Fabian Wright, Kenicia Barrett, The Honors College School of Politics and Global Studies Hugh Downs School of Human Communication In the United States, the political landscape is largely shaped by a two-party system, with Republicans and Democrats dominating political identities, presidential elections, and media discourse. Despite this, third-parties in the U.S. have continued to provide an expressive platform for voters who are dissatisfied with the bipartisan system, though this support has consistently failed to translate into electoral success at the polls. The disparity between substantial public support for third-parties and limited electoral impact has sparked interest among political psychologists and scholars seeking to understand the underlying causes that prevent third-party success. While many attribute this gap to the multitude of institutional barriers preventing third-party mobility, I argue that there is a "wasted vote" stigma associated with third-party voting--a primary factor which keeps the public from voting for third-party candidates. By examining the historical evolution of third-party movements, delving into voter psychology, and conducting an experimental study on whether a stigma against third-parties does influence voter behavior, this paper explores the challenges third-party candidates face in gaining traction within a predominantly two-party system. The study finds that the "wasted vote" phenomenon does significantly affects voter willingness to support third-party candidates and provides evidence that the “wasted vote” stigma is a real and pervasive force in U.S. politics today. Politics Elections Voting Independent President Voter Third Parties Stigma Psychology The Wasted Vote: The Stigma Around Third-Party Voting