The Study of Independent Voters

More Americans identify as Independent than as Republican or Democrat. Who are Independents and how do they impact American politics? This question does not have a clear-cut answer. On the one hand, American Independents are pursued by media and politicians for their (perceived) nonpartisan behavior and their ability to swing elections. On the other hand, Independents are ignored for their low political engagement and dismissed as “closet partisans.” As a result, many analyses of American voters either remove Independents entirely or combine leaners—those Independents who admit feeling closer toward one party or the other—with weak partisans. This puts Independents and the researchers who study them in a strange position as we attempt to understand the role of Independent voters in American politics. The debate about whether Independent leaners are truly independent or whether they are “closet partisans” dominates the literature, but a thorough review of the evidence reveals many interesting findings and generates many interesting research questions surrounding the motivations for an Independent identity and its consequences. We address the who, how, why, and where of Independent voters: Who Are Independents? discusses Measurement of Party Identity and Independence, Partisan Dealignment, and Demographics of Independent Voters; How Do Independents Behave? discusses Voting, Political Interest and Engagement, and Implicit Attitudes and Intergroup Bias; Why Identify As Independent? discusses intrapersonal and interpersonal motivations for identifying as Independent; and Where Do We Go From Here? suggests common practices for researchers to enhance the study of Independent voters.

Taiwan’s Politics 2018: The Dilemma of the Movement Government

Declining Taiwanese nationalism, rising independent voters and more realistic public perception of democracy had contributed to the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) electoral debacle in 2018. The structural dilemma of the DPP administration as a movement government significantly contributed to its rapidly declining public support. The DPP administration had to keep a delicate balance by compromising on its promises to various social movement and progressive forces after it took power, which consequently alienated many of its supporters.

MOVEMENT-COUNTERMOVEMENT DYNAMICS AND MOBILIZING THE ELECTORATE*

Social movements draw attention to how their goals align with political candidates but also intensify tensions in local settings. These tensions can take the form of oppositional voter mobilization when the movement is perceived as a formidable threat. In this article, I argue that protest signals the potential for electoral victory, and that the mobilization of opposing voters results when countermovement organizations frame the potential for victory as threatening to voter's interests. I provide empirical support by examining Senate voting outcomes in the 2010 midterm election and show that increases in Democratic voting were most pronounced in counties with high Tea Party rally activity. In complementary analyses, I find that Independent voters are more likely to oppose the Tea Party in counties with higher rally activity, and this opposition increased their likelihood of voting for Democrats.

Activists will push reforms at US party conventions

Significance Unlike in most previous presidential election years, many of the protests against the current nomination process for both parties have assumed an existential quality, with many left-leaning Democrats wanting to alter the power of party leadership, and many Republicans seeking to prevent another Donald Trump-like insurgent campaign in the future. Impacts This year's record number of unaffiliated 'independent' voters nevertheless are likely to vote along partisan lines. Left-leaning activists will seek to diminish the official powers of the Democratic Party leadership. The US electoral system will continue to advantage both major parties, though lesser parties may increase their vote totals this cycle.

Neither Red Nor Blue: The Influence of Independent Voters in Massachusetts

In a time when candidates feel pressure to tout their independent attitude and bipartisan spirit in order to win elections, the growing presence of the independent political mindset among voters cannot be ignored. Massachusetts is a perfect microcosm through which to explore the influence of independent voters. The perception of Massachusetts as a predominantly blue state in which Democratic candidates dominate is misleading. While this is true of the legislature, the electorate of the Bay State is over one-half independent, giving Massachusetts the largest proportion of independent voters in the United States. This piece explores how a predominantly independent constituency elects a predominantly single-party legislature. Using registration and election data as well as first-hand accounts from Massachusetts legislators, this article seeks to uncover how the indpendent voter fits into America's dominant two-party system. In this process, it confronts questions on the merit of the two-party system as well as the identity of the American voter.