pros and cons of being an independent voter

Just 11% of independents who do not lean to a party view the Democratic Party favorably, while about as many (9%) have a favorable view of the GOP. Donate to Giving Compass to help us guide donors toward practices that advance equity. and fellow former Democratic presidential candidates. Learn more about us. All rights reserved (About Us). The way I see it--even after reading the informative article that Napalm provided--is that the individual has less voting power in an electoral college system. You may also be responsible for buying the tools and equipment needed for your profession. In views of racial equality and womens progress, the views of partisan leaners are comparable to those of partisans. STAR (Score Then Automatic Runoff) Voting. QGIS automatic fill of the attribute table by expression. As an independent contractor, you're your own boss, meaning you have more control, but you also have more responsibility. For those who want to remain unaffiliated, the card now gives them a box to check next to a new selection, No Party/None.. @user4012 um not sure I understand your first comment. First off, you dont have to be pressured by one party or another to vote a specific way. Required fields are marked *. GOP leaners favor substantially expanding the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border by roughly three-to-one (75% to 23%). While its true change happens slowly, we can make that change by being willing to stand up for the working lower class. While there isn't any data (that I've seen) showing "an advantage" of registering Independents rather than of the two major parties, the way you engage them as a voter is highly correlated with their long-term engagement with the political process. (US House/Senate). You can still be and call yourself an independent. Because that's what this race is truly about. I sort of would rather stay independent, both because it's more honest and because I kind of prefer not to have the moral obligation of participating in primaries, since I generally hate all politics and view political debates as an exercise in saying nothing as prettily as possible. By contrast, moderates continue to make up the largest share of independents who do not lean to a party. The tendency of my state's voting doesn't really have anything to do with my independent views? And yes, vote early, vote often. What are the obligations/duties of "a Democrat" vs an independent? Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Nearly 40 percent of voters in the United States identify as independent, yet there are only four independents serving in Congress. Partisan divides in the United States are as wide as theyve ever been in the modern political era. Independent contractors are sometimes called ICs, consultants, freelancers, free agents, or contractors. Probably the only alternative voting method youve heard about, after being the first alternative voting method to be implemented at the state level. Two-thirds of Americans (66%) view one party favorably while expressing an unfavorable opinion of the other party. Sign up for The Balances newsletter for daily insights, analysis, and financial tips, all delivered straight to your inbox every morning! But voters are moving to care more about issues, rather than parties. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Politics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for people interested in governments, policies, and political processes. For people who wanted to say no party, this design is going to help them make that choice, said Kim Alexander, president of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation. In this article, we define what an independent contractor is and list examples, as well as explore the pros and cons of this type of work. Please support our research with a financial contribution. because of the party they belong to. When the holidays roll around and your relatives ask who you voted for, you can smugly say I voted green, or something along those lines, and watch their jaws hit the floor. Republican-leaning independents largely prefer a smaller government providing fewer services; 78% favor smaller government, compared with just 17% who favor bigger government with more services. The spectrum of political opinions is far too diverse and wide-ranging to be isolated to two groups that essentially represent the same issues, goals and policies. While its true change happens slowly, we can make that change by being willing to stand up for the working lower class. Independents also have a negative view of increased tariffs between the U.S. and its trading partners (53% say they will be bad for the U.S., 36% good for the U.S.). Schmidt, Steffen. Views of immigrants impact on the country are largely positive among Democratic-leaning independents (88% say they strengthen the U.S.) and those who identify as Democrats (80%). For example, Republican-leaning independents are less supportive of Donald Trump than are Republican identifiers. The concept of a bipartisan system is flawed. Setting up your own business as an independent contractor requires an investment of time and energy, but the risk can pay off handsomely. But you can also vote for nobody, because, again, nobodys stopping you. This positions us to be in a better place in 2020., Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast. Column: Does racism make you too stupid to be a cop? I've heard that in some states (citation needed), only voters registered to a specific party may vote in the corresponding primary elections. I had thought at one time that independents represented the swing vote either side needed to win, and as the 'king maker' in elections we would thus be the ones that had to be courted and listen to by politicians. It shouldnt be about party allegiance. There are already many barriers that discourage people from voting, from the complicated process to get registered or just the fact that life can be really busy. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Another 22% have favorable opinions of both parties. Its an issue thats been lingering for years, said Secretary of State Alex Padilla. Some voting methods require new software that election administrators dont have. Yet Trumps rating among independents who lean to the opposing party like his rating among members of the opposing party was much lower than recent presidents. But both tend to have lower voting turnout than the average voter, particularly in Mid-term elections. The party joined Republicans in nominating Donald Trump in 2016. Its about making change. Democratic leaners include roughly equal shares of men (51%) and women (49%). Also, you might need to pay for your own tools and equipment as well as establish a federal and state tax ID number. . Perhaps the most noticeable change is the new cards instruction, in a larger font size, on political parties. With the 2020 election, we have begun to see more than two parties. Majorities of both Democrats (69%) and independents (68%) favor legalizing marijuana; Republicans are divided, with 45% supportive of legalization and 51% opposed. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax For Democrats you don't have to choose moderate or liberal. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. However, there are drawbacks to being an independent contractor as well. The poll failed with 55% No voters . The result is voter turnout rates of 72.3% and 77.2% respectively, which is 26-32% higher than the United States. Statistically, it doesnt even make sense. In addition, far more independents (28%) than Republicans (10%) or Democrats (9%) have an unfavorable opinion of both parties. In a survey last fall, clear majorities of Democrats (69%), Democratic-leaning independents (75%) and Republican-leaning independents (60%) favored marijuana legalization, but Republicans were divided (45% favored, 51% opposed). For that reason, the voting method should remain as simple as possible so it isnt an additional reason voters dont turn out to the polls. Most people have considered striking out on their own at some point in their career. Want to read more content like this? Sanders suspending his campaign additionally meant Joe Biden would be the Democratic candidate for the 2020 electionthough not officially, as Sanders is still on the primary ballots, but is unlikely to secure votes. That might help voters see the distinction missed by some in earlier versions between being an "independent" voter and selecting the American Independent Party a conservative political . Over the same period, there has been growth in the shares of Democrats and Democratic leaners identifying as liberal. In a two-party system, it is not surprising that most Americans view their own party favorably while viewing the opposing party unfavorably. Other voting methods allow voters to honestly vote for the candidates they like without fearing theyll be a spoiler. It seems primaries are won by being the one that your hard-core party types like the best, which is not always the same as being the one that stands the best chance of actually becoming president. Thus the only way to win the primaries is to be the most Democratic or Republican you can be; not to moderate your platform. Both of those options can be good ones, but it generally depends on the specifics the agent is looking for. Independents who lean toward a party are less likely than partisans to view their party favorably. On most issues, independents attitudes mirror the views of the overall public. Here are six facts about political independents: 1Nearly four-in-ten U.S. adults (38%) identify as politically independent, but most lean toward one of the two major parties. Theres a reason why more and more people have shifted over to being registered as an independent voter in the wake of the last several elections. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. This is a long-standing dynamic that has been the subject of past analyses, both by Pew Research Center and others. A combination of issues prompted us to see if there was a better way, Padilla said. Ideally, the voting method should consistently elect a candidate who makes the average voter feel satisfied with the outcomenot one who leads to further political polarization. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Republican-leaning independents favor expanding the border wall, though by a smaller margin than Republicans identifiers. In general elections, what percent of registered party voters defect, on average? As a 14-year registered Democrat and 1-year registered Republican, the only advantage I see as registering as an independent is that you don't get bombarded by phone calls and mailers when it comes time for the Primary. Politics is about choice, change and personal opinion. How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! By comparison, only about one-in-ten partisans view both parties negatively. Can someone please explain these numbers and how the Republican won the CA US 21st congressional district in 2016? About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. And, thanks to a recent Morrison Institute study, more is known about Arizona independents than in any other state. A newer method, STAR, allows voters to score each candidate on a scale and then the two candidates with the highest scores enter an automatic runoff, with voters ballots cast to whichever candidate they scored highest. As with the border wall, Democratic-leaning independents are more likely to view increased tariffs negatively (75% say they will be bad for the U.S.) than Republican-leaning independents are to view them positively (66% say they will be good). I could hardly be an independent if I vote for one party always; I thought that context was pretty explicit, the question doesn't really make sense without the presumption that my vote won't effect presidential elections after all. I think a lot of people are still wrestling with what preference means, said Alexander. If I were registered Republican or Democrat, I could at least vote in the primaries, and in so doing have a say on which candidates are chosen to compete for the presidency, but as an independent I am not allowed to vote in either sides primaries. Independent contractors must fund 100% of their Medicare and Social Security taxes, health insurance, and retirement. This pattern holds for other offices as well: In views of candidates for president and local elections, independent leaners are consistently less likely than partisans to rate the quality of these candidates positively. The share of Americans who have a positive view of one party and a negative view of the other has increased since 2015 (from 58%). If you are Republican, you don't have to choose between being a regular or Tea Party Republican. About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. While 36% of all independents favored substantially expanding the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in a January survey, 75% of Republican-leaning independents but just 5% of Democratic leaners said this. Zip Recruiters puts the average pay for independent insurance agents at a heartier $97,996. Read our research on: Congress | Economy | Trust in Media. You might earn more as an independent contractor, and the tax benefits can include deducting your business expenses. Do you consider yourself independent person? sexual assault allegations against Biden by former aide Tara Reade. Wide majorities of both Democrats and Democratic leaners say more needs to be done to give blacks equal rights with whites, while partisan identifiers are somewhat more likely than leaners to say this (85% vs. 78%). Its about making change. In the wake of sexual assault allegations against Biden by former aide Tara Reade, many on the left rallied against Biden being the Democratic candidate. Currently, 87% of those who identify with the Republican Party view the Democratic Party unfavorably; Republican-leaning independents are almost as likely to view the Democratic Party negatively (81% unfavorable). "Independent Contractor (Self-Employed) or Employee? For this governor's race, consider being independent of party. Like Democrats, most Democratic-leaning independents prefer bigger government. Being independent means you no longer have to explain away the crazies in your party, or explain rampant corruption, or sleazy behavior among party members. . Unfortunately, this isnt an exhaustive academic paper on voting methods, so well focus on just a few of the alternative voting methods with the most momentum right now. We recommend working with a top FMO like Ritter Insurance Marketing to help you get started on the right path. Work on the new voter registration card began early last year. Democratic-leaning independents overwhelmingly oppose the border wall (95% disapprove), as do Democratic identifiers (92%). Overall, independents are divided in preferences about the size of government and views about government regulation of business. The postage-paid voter registration card was last revised in 2008. The drawbacks to being an independent contractor include more responsibility. So be real, most people haven't been to Comicon and don't even HAVE 13 costumes. But it has some advantages too. Those who do not lean toward a party a group that consistently expresses less interest in politics than partisan leaners were less likely to say they had registered to vote and much less likely to say they voted. Through our local organization, Independent Voters for Arizona, thousands of letters are being directed to state and party leaders, seeking equal voting rights as independents in primary elections! George Wallace. If he didnt belong in the Democratic race, then why was he there? Who's to say that politicians won't one day decide that the average voter doesn't know what's best for them and elect a candidate who clearly does not represent the choice of the people? As you can see, each alternative voting method has its strengths and weaknesses, and none is perfect. Theres a reason why more and more people have shifted over to being registered as an independent voter in the wake of the last several elections. Because people wont vote for the third party. Within the GOP coalition, 36% of Republican leaners share this view, versus 27% of Republican identifiers. In that sense I figured that the mere act of being registered as an independent may affect the vote, because the more of us independents out there the more likely candidates would moderate their platform to recognize the needs of that swing-vote demographic and stick to more centralist policies. Why should they have to vote for anyone? I think the new form moves us to a better position, said Dean Logan, registrar of voters in Los Angeles County, who was part of the working group. Why did US v. Assange skip the court of appeal? The spectrum of political opinions is far too diverse and wide-ranging to be isolated to two groups that essentially represent the same issues, goals and policies. Why Being a Contractor Can Be Better Than Being an Employee, Difference Between Independent Contractor and Employee, Social Security taxes, and Medicare taxes. Among Democratic-leaning independents, slightly more identify as moderates (45%) than as liberals (39%), while 14% are conservatives. Other primary election types include: 1) open primaries, in which a voter either does not have to formally affiliate with a political party in order to vote in its primary or can declare his or her . But both tend to have lower voting turnout than the average voter, particularly in Mid-term elections. By Kirsten Elliott, Director of Philanthropy, there are dozens of voting methods out there, not one who leads to further political polarization, Nearly 40 percent of voters in the United States identify as independent, there are only four independents serving in Congress, from the complicated process to get registered or just the fact that life can be really busy, Some voting methods require new software that election administrators dont have, after being the first alternative voting method to be implemented at the state level, IRV allows voters to rank the candidates in an election, IRV does a better job of electing voters true favorite candidates, can lead to unexpected results in tight races, often cited as one of the best alternative voting methods, voters cant differentiate between how much they like or dislike candidates. But as experts in this field, weve developed a short list of criteria that we find to be critical for any voting method. Being independent you can think. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Unparalleled Support. Yet independents who lean toward one of the two parties have a strong partisan imprint. New announcement, ASPSU president takes executive action to create financial relief, Guinness World Records oldest man dies at 112, On-Campus Events Calendar: April 25-May 1, Matthew N. Andrews and Andrew D. Jankowski, Movies go for the Olympics gold, so you dont have to. Nobodys stopping you. Let's face it, no one could possibly agree with every aspect of either party at every turn. Can my creature spell be countered if I cast a split second spell after it. Anecdotally, I can tell you that lately, all voters are becoming more and more polarized, and independent-registered voters tend to be less participatory in elections, especially local elections. Among the public overall, 17% are Democratic-leaning independents, while 13% lean toward the Republican Party. . But that was the first time it was really in the spotlight.. Just as an FYI, I live in Florida and we also have closed elections. Is voting worth trading your moral or ethical stance for? It's OKif you are registered R or D so you can vote in that primary. "Self-Employment Tax (Social Security and Medicare Taxes). The views of GOP leaners are nearly identical to the opinions of those who affiliate with the GOP (74% prefer smaller government). Those changes include a new law that will allow voters to register and make changes to their partisan affiliation on election day. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. In an interview, Padilla said additional clarity would have to come from the California Legislature. (For more on partisan identification over time, see the 2018 report Wide Gender Gap, Growing Educational Divide in Voters Party Identification.). There is no stigma to being independent. Many of Sanders supporters felt his chances at the presidency had been smeared and interfered with by liberal media and fellow former Democratic presidential candidates. But, it can be costly for cities with older voting machines to implement and can lead to unexpected results in tight races. Captive agents have more stability and support, but with stricter limitations. Majorities of independents say the U.S. needs to continue to make changes to give blacks equal rights with whites (57%) and that significant obstacles still make it harder for women to get ahead (54%). @user4012 no the state always votes maryland. , many on the left rallied against Biden being the Democratic candidate. Ability to choose clients. But it doesnt have to be this way. Most of the change since then has come among Republican-leaning independents, who feel much more positively about the GOP than they did then. Internal Revenue Service.

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