pros and cons of being an independent voter

Only 7% of Americans overall don't express a partisan leaning, while 13% lean toward the Republican Party and 17% lean toward the Democratic Party. The share of Democratic-leaning independents with a very unfavorable opinion of the Republican Party has more than quadrupled between 1994 and 2018 (from 8% to 37%). By allowing candidates to see that theyre supported, even if theyre not the favorite, we encourage those candidates to run and express their opinions. 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. The party joined Republicans in nominating Donald Trump in 2016. When youre starting, apply to agencies that can connect you with contract work. Setting up your own business as an independent contractor requires an investment of time and energy, but the risk can pay off handsomely. Nearly nine-in-ten Democratic leaners say immigrants strengthen the country because of their hard work and talents, compared with a somewhat narrower majority of Democrats (80%). Partisan identification in the US, polls only weakly correlated to voter registration. Independents who do not lean to a party widely favored same-sex marriage (65% favor this), while 70% say the use of marijuana should be legal. Specifically the 'as legal' part. 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. Being an independent contractor can be rewarding since it offers you the ability to be your own boss, choose which clients to work for, and allow you to work from home. There exists an element in a group whose order is at most the number of conjugacy classes, Understanding the probability of measurement w.r.t. The voter may abstain from voting if the two choices are not to the voters liking. The focus of criticism has been the traditional paper registration document. QGIS automatic fill of the attribute table by expression. Work on the new voter registration card began early last year. 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. ", U.S. Department of Labor. Independents who lean toward a party are less likely than partisans to view their party favorably. A recent Pew Research Center report took a detailed look at these Americans. Independent contractors must fund 100% of their Medicare and Social Security taxes, health insurance, and retirement. 5Independents feel more negatively about political candidates and parties than partisans. Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, Wide Gender Gap, Growing Educational Divide in Voters Party Identification, As Pew Research Center reported last year, Trump divides partisans and partisan leaners alike, Independents views of U.S.-Mexico border wall, other key issues, Independents views of race, immigrants, gender, Broad support among independents for same-sex marriage, marijuana legalization, More partisans and partisan leaners embrace ideological labels, How independents view the political parties, Growing partisan antipathy among partisans and leaners, As Partisan Hostility Grows, Signs of Frustration With the Two-Party System, The polarization in todays Congress has roots that go back decades, Republicans and Democrats alike say its stressful to talk politics with people who disagree, Both Republicans and Democrats prioritize family, but they differ over other sources of meaning in life, Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Political Typology, What the data says about Americans views of climate change, Podcasts as a Source of News and Information, AI in Hiring and Evaluating Workers: What Americans Think, Americans confident in Zelenskyy, but have limited familiarity with some other world leaders, How Public Polling Has Changed in the 21st Century. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. It's OKif you are registered R or D so you can vote in that primary. 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. Only about a quarter of non-leaners approved of Trumps job performance during his first two years, while about six-in-ten (58%) disapproved. You can still be and call yourself an independent. This process continues until a candidate receives a majority of the vote. If you really want to be more independent, and have the opportunity for a lot of . While 45% of Republicans and 51% of Democrats are under age 50, these shares rise to 55% among Republican-leaning independents and 68% among Democratic leaners. Nearly half of independents who do not lean to a party describe their views as moderate, while 24% are conservatives and 18% are liberals. I think a lot of people are still wrestling with what preference means, said Alexander. What were the most popular text editors for MS-DOS in the 1980s? Are Democratic voters more firm in their voting preferences? Progressives and independents are told a vote for the third party is a vote for Trump, or any other Republican or majority candidate. ", Internal Revenue Service. 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. Just as an FYI, I live in Florida and we also have closed elections. Just 7% of Americans decline to lean toward a party, a share that has changed little in recent years. rev2023.4.21.43403. 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. Independently decide if you really want to continue with Governor Bentley and have your children be last in education among the states. But that was the first time it was really in the spotlight.. Some of the disadvantages of being a 1099 employee include you must fund 100% of your Medicare and Social Security taxes, health insurance, retirement savings, as well as any tools and equipment needed for your profession. And while men account for about half of Republicans (51%) and four-in-ten Democrats (40%), they account for 64% of Republican leaners and 51% of Democratic leaners. But you can also vote for nobody, because, again, nobodys stopping you. 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! You may also be responsible for buying the tools and equipment needed for your profession. 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! Regarding any advantages of being registered as an Independent, it may depend on the state where you are registered. Within the GOP coalition, 36% of Republican leaners share this view, versus 27% of Republican identifiers. And while clear majorities of both Democrats and Democratic leaners favor same-sex marriage, Democratic-leaning independents are somewhat more likely than Democrats to hold this view (82% vs. 71%). He described a voters political party as an incidental aspect of registration and said that questions about voter confusion were speculative.. Being an independent contractor has its rewards, and whether it's worth it for you depends on the pros and cons. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. A 501(c)(3) organization. Even if I choose to support a Republican candidate, I have no chance at all of changing the outcome of my states final vote. 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%). Column: Lawmakers havent considered ways to limit confusion on being an independent voter . Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Considering we're generally in a 2-party system, the fewer voters who are registered as one or the other, the more likely candidates will try to appeal to the larger population, rather than just their "base". Striking out on your own can be both risky and rewarding. BTW, the concept of super-delegates in D convention was specifically designed to address the concern of electing Mondale-like "party hardcore favorites" in the primaries. [ 8][ 15] A holiday for elections sidesteps the issue of a weekend election, which could conflict with religious obligations. If you're the adventurous, entrepreneurial type, then working as an independent contractor might be a greatcareer choice for you. Required fields are marked *. I vote out of civic obligation only and am not that offended by not participating; but at the same time if I could better serve my civil obligations by choosing a political party (with a coin flip) I would do so. For example, while 34% of independents as a whole said they approved of the way Donald Trump was handling his job as president in a March Pew Research Center survey, the gap between independents who lean to the GOP and those who lean to the Democratic Party (73% vs. 9%) was nearly as wide as the gap between Republicans and Democrats (85% vs. 8%). During his first two years in office, Trumps job rating among members of his own party was relatively high compared with recent presidents. As in the past, more independents describe their political views as moderate (43%) than conservative (29%) or liberal (24%). Remember, though, that these agencies may withhold taxes and collect other deductions from your paychecks, depending on your working relationship with the firm. For this reason, it can be misleading to look at independents as a single bloc. Here are 6 pros and cons of being independent. Trumps job rating among independents, like his overall rating, breaks down along partisan lines. Nearly a third (31%) are younger than 30, compared with 21% of Republican-leaning independents and just 19% and 14%, respectively, among those who identify as Democrats and Republicans. Independents views on the 2017 tax bill are more divided: 34% approve of the tax law and 43% disapprove. In addition, Trumps rating has been more stable than prior presidents. 3. Trumps early rating among independents is closest to Clintons, whose job approval averaged about 42% during his first two years in office. There is something inherently problematic about voting for a candidate that doesnt back policies you support, expresses behavior that you find inappropriate or undesirable and may not even support your existence solely because of the party they belong to. You might find your opinions were a lot different than you thought, or that maybe, you just dont care as much as you felt you needed to. Pro #1: It usually means you can take of yourself I think it's great that we learn to stand on our own two feet. because of the party they belong to. The views of GOP leaners are nearly identical to the opinions of those who affiliate with the GOP (74% prefer smaller government). He didnt represent the ideologies and policies of the Democratic party, but rather pushed an agenda that aligned with the Green Partys socialist and lower-class-first initiative. 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. I work in the Presidential battleground state of Florida, we have a lot of state representative, county commission races, etc. Let's face it, no one could possibly agree with every aspect of either party at every turn. In the next part of our series, well share more about what The Center for Election Science see as the best solution, and how can you help make that a reality. 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. That's because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has only two distinctions: an independent contractor or an employee. Support for same-sex marriage was higher among Democratic-leaning independents than among Democrats (82% vs. 73%). (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. Are there any canonical examples of the Prime Directive being broken that aren't shown on screen? Politics are not black and whiteelections shouldnt just be about blue versus red, left versus right, Democrats versus Republicansbut about how much we as people are willing to put forward change in this country. Fact Sheet 13: Employment Relationship Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Self-Employment Tax (Social Security and Medicare Taxes). . In a two-party system, it is not surprising that most Americans view their own party favorably while viewing the opposing party unfavorably. Like Democrats, most Democratic-leaning independents prefer bigger government. Possessing a few fix-it and maintenance skills is liberating and cost-effective. Other voting methods allow voters to honestly vote for the candidates they like without fearing theyll be a spoiler. Its about making change. Ability to choose clients. Still, about 70% of GOP leaners approved of his job performance during his first two years in office. Political parties are able to draw on resources, financial . On my opinion, I think it is faster than the other form of election as a general voter have that candidates on the ballot from democrats, republican or independent column. Independents who lean toward a party are usually on the same side as those who identify with the same party, but the level of agreement between leaners and partisans varies depending on the issue. A closed primary is a type of primary election in which a voter must affiliate formally with a political party in advance of the election date in order to participate in that party's primary. A majority of those who identify as Republicans (55%) say immigrants burden the country. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The benefits of being a registered independent. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. We no longer have left and right, blue and red, Democrats and conservatives, but rather three parties, with progressives and socialists forming their own sphere. Could a subterranean river or aquifer generate enough continuous momentum to power a waterwheel for the purpose of producing electricity? Having candidates that represent other political parties outside Republican and Democrat increases voter choice. In views of racial equality and womens progress, the views of partisan leaners are comparable to those of partisans. The drawbacks to being an independent contractor include more responsibility. Statistically, it doesnt even make sense. GOP leaners favor substantially expanding the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border by roughly three-to-one (75% to 23%). That's a dramatic shift from just two decades ago, when only 12 percent of Florida voters were neither Republican nor Democrat. Can my creature spell be countered if I cast a split second spell after it. The ballot initiative, a form of direct democracy, is the process through which citizens exercise the power to place measures otherwise considered by state legislatures or local governments on statewide and local ballots for a public vote. A California law says yes, Abcarian: By helping Kamala Harris, Biden can help himself to a second term. For those who want to remain unaffiliated, the card now gives them a box to check next to a new selection, No Party/None.. TAKE OU, OP: Why wont PSU accept food stamps? Like other professions, being an independent consultant is one great roller coaster ride, with its many highs, lows, twists and turns. How well do you collaborate with others? Independents also are younger on average than are partisans. 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.). He didnt represent the ideologies and policies of the Democratic party, but rather pushed an agenda that aligned with, the Green Partys socialist and lower-class-first initiative. Here are six advantages to being an independent case manager: 1. These shares have changed only modestly in recent years, but the proportion of independents is higher than it was from 2000-2008, when no more than about a third of the public identified as independents. While hospital or agency administrators might assign their case managers a list of patients to work with, independent case managers can choose their own client list based on their areas of specialty and . However, Republican-leaning independents differ from Republicans in their views of immigrants impact on the country. There are similar patterns in many political areas. We are a nonprofit too. 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). Independent contractors must fund 100% of their Medicare and Social Security taxes, health insurance, and retirement. You arent an independent voter in California if you checked this box . It also hasnt been implemented in an election yet, so some questions about implementation remain. While there is a lot of freedom that comes with being an independent contractor, there is also a great deal of responsibility that comes with it. It only takes a minute to sign up. He said critics are biased if they arent also asking all the other parties about confusion regarding their names. The concept that not voting is a vote for the other candidate is largely untrue. You must fund your Social Security and Medicare taxes. 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. Regardless of the label, all are essentially the same in practice, including a self-employed designation when it comes to U.S. tax purposes. Progressives and independents are told a vote for the third party is a vote for Trump, or any other Republican or majority candidate. Nobodys stopping you. 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. Join us as we discuss 3 pros and cons to being an independent person. Updated on June 03, 2021. Majorities of both Democrats (69%) and independents (68%) favor legalizing marijuana; Republicans are divided, with 45% supportive of legalization and 51% opposed. By the time the politician is running for president officially he already has been selected for a platform that is likely non-centralist. So be real, most people haven't been to Comicon and don't even HAVE 13 costumes. Padilla said lawmakers also would be the only ones who could weigh in on whether a party should be able to use the word independent in its name the word elections officials say voters frequently latch onto in a quick scan of the registration form. With the 2020 election, we have begun to see more than two parties. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Among Democratic-leaning independents, slightly more identify as moderates (45%) than as liberals (39%), while 14% are conservatives.

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