American elections and political parties

Few Americans, and very few citizens of other countries, understand the electoral process in the United States. The participation rates in US elections are characterized by very low turnout compared to most mature democratic countries. Perhaps the reason for this is the lack of competition across the country under the dominance of only two parties with real chances of winning, despite the fact that a large number of citizens do not owe allegiance to either of these parties, and even view them with suspicion. This very short introduction introduces the reader to these issues and others, and provides an informed look at how the American electoral system actually works, in addition to shedding light on some of its flaws.