We Need More Candidates

In his Dec. 1 op-ed column, "A Pox on Both Parties," David S. Broder took to task the performances of the Democratic and Republican parties in the past dozen years. He concluded, "When both parties have lost public confidence, where do voters turn?"

Many voters would like to turn to an electoral system that has more parties and more candidates. Instead of implying that the voters are in a two-party lockbox, Mr. Broder should discuss how to break up this converging and decaying duopoly that has left most congressional districts heavily dominated by one major party or the other.

Such one-party districts do not produce elections, which imply contests. They provide coronations, as shown by the defeats of only seven House incumbents in November 2004.

Candidates and small parties need to be given the same attention that voters' rights have been given in recent decades because voters' rights are inextricably related to candidates' rights to have ballot access and to compete. The reverse is true as well.

RALPH NADER

Washington