Definition
A political idealist running outside the two-party system, typically splitting votes and helping elect the candidate they least prefer. They're the protest vote personified, making principled stands that accomplish nothing except generating think pieces.
Example Usage
The third-party candidate won 3% of the vote, which was just enough to tip the election to the major party candidate he spent the entire campaign opposing.
Origin
From simple arithmetic—any party after the dominant two parties in American politics, prevalent since the 1850s
Fun Fact
No third-party candidate has won a presidential election since 1860, but they've definitely helped decide plenty of them.
Source: Electoral system terminology
Related Terms
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See “third-party candidate” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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