pros and cons of being an independent voter

For this governor's race, consider being independent of party. Updated on June 03, 2021. Is voting worth trading your moral or ethical stance for? 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. Since 2000, there have been sizable increases in the shares of both Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who identify as conservative. Again anecdotally, the independent vote in Florida tends to either lean Libertarian, or strongly leftist-progressive. However, there are drawbacks to being an independent contractor as well. Captive agents have more stability and support, but with stricter limitations. All answers are welcome, but I'm the sort of person who spends time on Skeptics, so I love sources and statistics if anyone wishes to include them as well :). Pros You are your own boss Greater control over the work you accept You can earn more money Tax benefits from expense deductions Cons Is there a generic term for these trajectories? R primaries selected Romney, McCain, and Reagan, not Cain, Keyes/Huckabee or Robertson. In early 2018, similar shares of Republicans (77%) and Democrats (74%) said the quality of candidates running for Congress in their district in the last several elections had been good. A recent Pew Research Center report took a detailed look at these Americans. "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." Being an independent contractor has its advantages over being an employee. To put that into perspective, in 13 counties across the state, non . According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for insurance agents was over $52,000 in 2020. They are also the single-most impediment to fixing our problems. We are a nonprofit too. Given current state law, we did everything we could, he said. Why did US v. Assange skip the court of appeal? For the past three years, the number of voters registering or re-registering as independent has. and fellow former Democratic presidential candidates. Fewer than half of independents (37%) are ages 50 and older; among those who identify as Democrats, 48% are 50 and older, as are a majority (54%) of those who identify as Republicans. Democratic leaners, like Democrats, overwhelmingly disapprove of the president. Among those who affiliate with the Republican Party, the margin is nearly eight-to-one (87% to 11%). Many of Sanders supporters felt his chances at the presidency had been smeared and interfered with by liberal media. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. About a quarter of both Republican leaners (24%) and Democratic leaners (27%) view both parties unfavorably, as do 37% of those with no partisan leaning. For those who want to remain unaffiliated, the card now gives them a box to check next to a new selection, No Party/None.. 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. Setting up your own business as an independent contractor requires an investment of time and energy, but the risk can pay off handsomely. 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. Again anecdotally, the independent vote in Florida tends to either lean Libertarian, or strongly leftist-progressive. People looked up to Sanders because he advocated change. Being "registered" as Democratic/Republican/Independent vs being a party member. Independent Contractor (Self-Employed) or Employee? 3. Internal Revenue Service. Obamas average rating was 50% during his first year (2009); it fell to 42% in his second year. It's OKif you are registered R or D so you can vote in that primary. 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. Because that's what this race is truly about. Advantages of being an independent contractor over being an employee include more control since you're your own boss. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax STAR (Score Then Automatic Runoff) Voting. Ability to choose clients. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. 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.). The new voter registration cards will be distributed as soon as the end of this week, and officials say the design was completed without spending more money. You shouldnt be goaded into voting for someone who you dont believe supports your politics. Independents stand out from partisans in several important ways. 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 . Just 7% of Americans decline to lean toward a party, a share that has changed little in recent years. Every project and stakeholder offers unique experiences. The poll failed with 55% No voters . 3On some issues, there are significant differences between leaners and partisans. 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. 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%). Feinstein has vowed to return to Washington, but what happens if she doesnt? "It seems primaries are won by being the one that your hard-core party types like the best" - you seem to be watching different primaries from me? Ive found that people are ecstatic to hear that there is a way to do so simply by changing the way we vote. Students a, The latest edition of the PSU Vanguard is out! Massive voter fraud stems from the independents ;), There's the old Chicago saying, "Vote Early, Vote Often.". Another con of being registered as an Independent is that people feel they have less of if no voice. Why does Acts not mention the deaths of Peter and Paul? People looked up to Sanders because he advocated change. 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. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Those changes include a new law that will allow voters to register and make changes to their partisan affiliation on election day. What does the power set mean in the construction of Von Neumann universe? You must fund your Social Security and Medicare taxes. 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. To help you network, gain expertise, and receive discounts on insurance and other self-employment expenses, consider joining professional organizations such as the National Association for the Self-Employed. ", U.S. Department of Labor. If you are Republican, you don't have to choose between being a regular or Tea Party Republican. When Senator Bernie Sanders dropped out of the 2020 United States Presidential Race on April 8, the fallout was palpable, especially among those who identify as independent. Other advantages may be longer-term or larger scale. Join us as we discuss 3 pros and cons to being an independent person. Californians have until May 21 to register for the June 5 statewide primary. Trumps job rating among independents for his first two years in office also was lower than his recent predecessors; his average job rating among independents was 34% in both 2017 and 2018. That average can go up even more in various U.S. cities and states. In contrast to Republicans, Republican-leaning independents favored same-sex marriage (58% were in favor, 37% were opposed). For this reason, it can be misleading to look at independents as a single bloc. These shares have changed little in recent years. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. . Yet independents who lean toward one of the two parties have a strong partisan imprint. Even if I choose to support a Republican candidate, I have no chance at all of changing the outcome of my states final vote. Possessing a few fix-it and maintenance skills is liberating and cost-effective. Here are six advantages to being an independent case manager: 1. Independents often are portrayed as political free agents with the potential to alleviate the nations rigid partisan divisions. Nearly half of independents who do not lean to a party describe their views as moderate, while 24% are conservatives and 18% are liberals. In addition, far more independents say immigrants do more to strengthen (66%) than burden (23%) the country. A wave of disappointment washed over democratic voters after Al Gore won the candidacy in 2000, and again in 2016 with Clinton, and its happening again with Biden this year. What were the most popular text editors for MS-DOS in the 1980s? Why don't Democrat or Republican partisans register and vote in swing states? But those who leaned toward the parties were much less likely to say this. Bernie Sanders was a Democrat in name only. Here we offer some initial thoughts on the pros and cons of standing as, or voting for, an Independent candidate. 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. We connect donors to learning resources and ways to support community-led solutions. Nearly 40 percent of voters in the United States identify as independent, yet there are only four independents serving in Congress. If he didnt belong in the Democratic race, then why was he there? 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. Bush, whose overall job rating approached 90% in his first year following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, had approval ratings above 60% among independents in his first two years. 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. Perhaps more important, intense dislike of the opposing party, which has surged over the past two decades among partisans, has followed a similar trajectory among independents who lean toward the Republican and Democratic parties. You may also be responsible for buying the tools and equipment needed for your profession. With the 2020 election, we have begun to see more than two parties. Still, the share of independents who view both parties negatively has declined in recent years. He described a voters political party as an incidental aspect of registration and said that questions about voter confusion were speculative.. Political parties are able to draw on resources, financial . 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. Support for same-sex marriage was higher among Democratic-leaning independents than among Democrats (82% vs. 73%). By allowing candidates to see that theyre supported, even if theyre not the favorite, we encourage those candidates to run and express their opinions. In June 2017, a majority of adults (62%) favored allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally, while just 32% were opposed. The concept that not voting is a vote for the other candidate is largely untrue. Remember, though, that these agencies may withhold taxes and collect other deductions from your paychecks, depending on your working relationship with the firm. 1 Advantage: Increases Choice. 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. In fact, his rating among Democratic-leaning independents during his first two years was about as low as his rating among Democrats (7% in 2017, 9% in 2018). At 21 (many years ago) I reasoned that no one party could always have the best candidates or have the perfect plan/platform at every given time. It also hasnt been implemented in an election yet, so some questions about implementation remain. Are Democratic voters more firm in their voting preferences? If no candidate has a majority, the candidate with the least first-choice votes is eliminated, and those voters second-choice candidates receive their votes. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax However, this simplicity comes at a cost that frustrates some, as voters cant differentiate between how much they like or dislike candidates. Over the past two decades, Republicans and Democrats have come to view the opposing party more negatively. But both tend to have lower voting turnout than the average voter, particularly in Mid-term elections. Opinions among Democrats and Democratic leaners are nearly the mirror image: 88% of Democrats and 84% of Democratic leaners view the GOP unfavorably. Over the same period, there has been growth in the shares of Democrats and Democratic leaners identifying as liberal. They can even help candidates really see how much support they have from the electorate, even if they dont win. 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. 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. How do I stop the Flickering on Mode 13h? By contrast, moderates continue to make up the largest share of independents who do not lean to a party. Democrats and Democratic leaners are in sync in opinions about whether the nations economic system is generally fair. Schmidt, Steffen. They are giving up voting on who gets to represent each party at all. 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. State elections officials consulted with voting rights advocates and local registrars on the best way forward. Independent Contractor vs. Freelancer: Whats the Difference? 1615 L St. NW, Suite 800Washington, DC 20036USA You dont have to receive junk mail. Independents also are younger on average than are partisans. The drawbacks to being an independent contractor include more responsibility. [ 8][ 15] A holiday for elections sidesteps the issue of a weekend election, which could conflict with religious obligations. Politics is about choice, change and personal opinion. The new registration forms are part of a broader series of changes that election officials hope will avoid a repeat of prior problems by the time the California presidential primary is held two years from now. 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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. She said its especially important when the documents must later be translated into languages other than English. Pros of Being an Independent Caregiver. 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. 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. TAKE OU, OP: Why wont PSU accept food stamps? Striking out on your own can be both risky and rewarding. Lately I feel that isn't the case. 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. The card millions of Californians use to register to vote is receiving its first makeover in more than a decade, inspired in part by confusion over how to become an independent unaffiliated voter a problem highlighted by a Los Angeles Times investigation in 2016. , many on the left rallied against Biden being the Democratic candidate. And a large majority of Democratic-leaning independents (75%) also favors marijuana legalization. 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. Public support for legalizing marijuana use has followed a similar upward trajectory in recent years. But voters are moving to care more about issues, rather than parties. In July 2015, just 44% of GOP leaners had a favorable opinion of the Republican Party; 47% had an unfavorable view of both parties. Yet the reality is that most independents are not all that independent politically. Its been shown to easily elect a good candidate and encourage competition. Some voting methods require new software that election administrators dont have. Its an issue thats been lingering for years, said Secretary of State Alex Padilla. But you can also vote for nobody, because, again, nobodys stopping you. Over the same period, there has been a decline in the share expressing a negative view of both parties, from 23% in 2015 to 17% currently. Required fields are marked *. 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. 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. On most issues, independents attitudes mirror the views of the overall public. Trumps early job rating among members of the opposing party (7%) was much lower than those of three prior presidents (Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton). Only 7% of Americans overall dont express a partisan leaning, while 13% lean toward the Republican Party and 17% lean toward the Democratic Party. 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. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main First, a pragmatic argument: an Independent candidate has rejected the advantages of being part of an established infrastructure and support network. . But the gap has narrowed since 2000, when moderates outnumbered liberals, 50% to 30%. While that may cut down on contacts from campaigns that are only using government-supplied voter data, larger/more sophisticated campaigns can use. And sure, there may be times where we are sent on by ourselves to face some things alone to build our character. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Among those who identified as Republicans, just 40% favored same-sex marriage, while 54% were opposed. Column: Does racism make you too stupid to be a cop? Donate to Giving Compass to help us guide donors toward practices that advance equity. 4. BREAKING: Anti-transgender provocateurs to visit P, NEWS: New donations to School of Business support, OPINION: PSU President Stephen Percy is a coward The result is voter turnout rates of 72.3% and 77.2% respectively, which is 26-32% higher than the United States. John Myers led the Los Angeles Times coverage of state government as Sacramento bureau chief from 2015 to June 2022. If you really want to be more independent, and have the opportunity for a lot of . IRV does a better job of electing voters true favorite candidates than our current method and encourages more competition. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? Progressives and independents are told a vote for the third party is a vote for Trump, or any other Republican or majority candidate. Scottish Independence Scottland has been a part of the UK since 1707 after James VII was deposed in 1688 England feared that Scottland would go its own way which led to a formal union of the two kingdoms. Another 22% have favorable opinions of both parties. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Presidential battleground states consider more election funding, Montana latest to ban hormone treatment and other care for transgender minors, Florida Republicans pass bill that would allow DeSantis to run for president while governor, At rape lawsuit trial, Trump lawyer questions why E. Jean Carroll didnt scream, North Carolina justices hand Republicans big win with election rulings. Read our, How To Succeed as an Independent Contractor, The Differences Between Employed vs. Self-Employed, What To Know About Household Employee Taxes, Hiring and Paying an Independent Contractor, How the IRS Determines Independent Contractor Status, The Tax Treatment of Self-Employment Income, What You Need to Know Before You Sign a W-9 Form, What To Do With an IRS Backup Withholding Notice. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The party joined Republicans in nominating Donald Trump in 2016. In 2011, however, the wording became more complex. You'll also find a bevy of resources on the U.S. Small Business Administration's website. Your email address will not be published. In a survey conducted last fall, shortly after the midterm elections, partisan leaners were less likely than partisans to say they registered to vote and voted in the congressional elections. 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%). Overall, independents are divided in preferences about the size of government and views about government regulation of business. Changes are also planned for Californias online registration site registertovote.ca.gov to better highlight whether to pick a party or take a pass. 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. Like Democrats, most Democratic-leaning independents prefer bigger government. Also, you might need to pay for your own tools and equipment as well as establish a federal and state tax ID number. We also want the method to be simple to implement. 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. Could a subterranean river or aquifer generate enough continuous momentum to power a waterwheel for the purpose of producing electricity? 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. Voting has become a toxic act where people are told, if you dont vote for our candidate, you dont belong to our party. Why should people have to vote for someone they dont believe in and dont support? After Sanders suspension, online forums and social media exploded with political disagreement. Among other things, it illustrated that independents have lower levels of political participation and are demographically different from those who affiliate with a party and that their views are often as divided as those of self-identified partisans. Public support for same-sex marriage has grown rapidly over the past decade. In general elections, what percent of registered party voters defect, on average? The Times found a substantial number of Californians who registered with the American Independent Party wrongly believed they werent part of any political party an error that later kept some from casting ballots in the states 2016 presidential primary. 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.
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