The Independent Voter

Independent voters are increasing in number and impact with every election and made a key difference in 2020 at both the presidential and Congressional levels. This book looks at who these voters are, what they want, and how they are transforming the political landscape in the United States. Drawing on historical and contemporary data (including survey data, participant observation, interviews, and current writings and scholarship), and providing timely new analysis, the authors argue that contemporary independents perceive and participate in elections differently from partisan loyalists. Rather than "leaning" left or right, Democratic or Republican, these voters vary from place to place, in race and ethnicity, and in youthful engagement that eschews party identification and demands a different kind of political culture. For a wide variety of audiences, this book gives students, scholars, campaign professionals, activists, and media analysts insight into voting dynamics today.