Why is it difficult for third-party candidates to gain traction in the United States when third-party candidates can earn seats in other countries such as Canada?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the United States, the winner-takes-all system used in most elections means that the candidate with the most votes in a particular district or state wins the seat outright. This makes it difficult for third-party candidates to gain traction as voters may feel like voting for them is a "wasted" vote if they don't believe the candidate has a real chance of winning. However, in other countries, proportional representation is used, which means that third-party candidates can still win a seat if they receive a certain percentage of the vote, regardless of whether they come in first place. In the case of the 2016 election, although Clinton won the popular vote, she did not win the Electoral College, which ultimately determines the winner of the presidential election.

Why Is It Difficult for Third-Party Candidates to Gain Traction