▁system ▁consists ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁and ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party . ▁Several ▁third ▁parties ▁also ▁operate ▁in ▁the ▁U . S ., ▁and ▁from ▁time ▁to ▁time ▁elect ▁someone ▁to ▁local ▁office . ▁The ▁largest ▁third ▁party ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁Libert arian ▁Party . ▁ ▁Besides ▁the ▁Constitution , ▁Green , ▁and ▁Libert arian ▁parties , ▁there ▁are ▁many ▁other ▁political ▁parties ▁that ▁receive ▁only ▁minimal ▁support ▁and ▁only ▁appear ▁on ▁the ▁ball ot ▁in ▁one ▁or ▁a ▁few ▁states . ▁ ▁Some ▁political ▁candidates , ▁and ▁many ▁vot ers , ▁choose ▁not ▁to ▁identify ▁with ▁a ▁particular ▁political ▁party . ▁In ▁some ▁states , ▁independ ents ▁are ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁vote ▁in ▁primary ▁elections , ▁but ▁in ▁others , ▁they ▁can ▁vote ▁in ▁any ▁primary ▁election ▁of ▁their ▁choice . ▁Although ▁the ▁term ▁" in dependent " ▁often ▁is ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁syn onym ▁for ▁" mod er ate ," ▁" cent rist ," ▁or ▁" swing ▁vot er ," ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁a ▁politician ▁or ▁vot er ▁who ▁holds ▁views ▁that ▁incorpor ate ▁fac ets ▁of ▁both ▁liberal ▁and ▁conserv ative ▁ide ologies , ▁most ▁self - des cribed ▁independ ents ▁consist ently ▁support ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁major ▁parties ▁when ▁it ▁comes ▁time ▁to ▁vote , ▁according ▁to ▁V ox ▁Media . ▁ ▁History ▁and ▁early ▁political ▁parties ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Constitution ▁is ▁silent ▁on ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁political ▁parties . ▁The ▁Found ing ▁F athers ▁did ▁not ▁originally ▁intend ▁for