Because all candidates are attempting to obtain a majority from the same voting population, they will tend to adopt the same positions and philosophies. Consequently, the candidates will often be so similar that they offer almost no meaningful choice to the individual voter. While their struggle for power may incite heated arguments, dividing the supporters for the leading candidates into highly antagonistic camps, such conflicts typically reflect differences in their personal appeal, rather than opposing philosophical principles or stances on particular issues. One consequence is that in a two-party system the margin of electoral victory will often be extremely narrow. The strategy of successful politicians in such a system is fundamentally different from that of competitors in the marketplace, who may cater to completely different kinds of customers and who consequently seldom find it necessary to "triangulate" toward the "center" of public opinion.
Insofar as both ballot access and voter qualifications must be determined by incumbent officials, the outcomes of elections tend to reflect the values of incumbents, rather than the values of voters at large.
Legislative elections are highly dependent on districting plans, again determined by incumbents, who can manipulate electoral outcomes to a large degree through gerrymandering.

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