42% of Americans Identify as Independents Republican identification lowest in at least 25 years

[SummerSnow]

http://www.gallup.com/poll/166763/record-high-americans-identify-independents.aspx

PRINCETON, NJ -- Forty-two percent of Americans, on average, identified as political independents in 2013, the highest Gallup has measured since it began conducting interviews by telephone 25 years ago. Meanwhile, Republican identification fell to 25%, the lowest over that time span. At 31%, Democratic identification is unchanged from the last four years but down from 36% in 2008.

Americans' increasing shift to independent status has come more at the expense of the Republican Party than the Democratic Party. Republican identification peaked at 34% in 2004, the year George W. Bush won a second term in office. Since then, it has fallen nine percentage points, with most of that decline coming during Bush's troubled second term. When he left office, Republican identification was down to 28%. It has declined or stagnated since then, improving only slightly to 29% in 2010, the year Republicans "shellacked" Democrats in the midterm elections.

Democratic identification has also declined in recent years, falling five points from its recent high of 36% in 2008, the year President Barack Obama was elected. The current 31% of Americans identifying as Democrats matches the lowest annual average in the last 25 years.

[HooptieWagon]

1. Good news for 2 reasons.

1) They aren't voting in GOP primaries, so GOP candidates will be even more extreme... thus more likely to lose GE.
2) GOP won't be able to target them for GOTV in GE, since Ind/NPA won't show up on GOP voter lists.

[former9thward]

2. Indies show up on voter lists.

I have the voter lists for my district and it has indies, Democrats and Republicans. It also has how they voted in the last 10 years. Any list you want can be generated from it.

[enlightenment]

4. With names?

I would be mighty annoyed if I found out that my name was associated with my vote. I believe that my vote is my business.

And no, I have nothing to hide.

[former9thward]

6. Names, addresses and phone numbers.

Also age, sex and race. It is all public record the second you cast a vote.

[enlightenment]

7. That is distressing.

Damned near as much as caucuses.

I also find it appalling that people feel the need to get that information - kind of creepy, actually. What purpose does it serve you to have it?

[former9thward]

9. If you are walking a neighborhood

For a primary candidate you 1) only want to go to Democrats and 2) only to Democrats who vote in primaries. That way you don't waste time on people who can't help you. If you are doing a mailing you don't want to waste postage and flyers on people who can't help you. I don't use the age, etc. but it comes with everything else. I suppose a candidate could do a mailing oriented to seniors, for example, based on that information.

[enlightenment]

16. Still too much public information.

I'm pretty well educated and well informed and I had no idea this information was readily available to every Tom, Dick and Harry who can manipulate a computer. Checked with a friend who is currently serving as president of the League of Women Voters in the city and she pointed me to the website. I suspect that many people don't know about these lists.

I don't think it's right to expose that much information to the general public and have, as of this morning, requested that the state withdraw all that they will withdraw - which is just the telephone and address.

[tabbycat31]

14. Who you voted for is not public record

The fact that you voted or not is public record. And if you voted in a primary, which primary (D or R) you voted in is public record.

For all we know, you could have written in Homer Simpson for all your candidate choices, but nobody will know that.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

3. I disagree pending the following information

How many of the self-identified independents also self-identify as "Tea Party". I hypothesize that a good chunk of thosw who've left the GOP did so because it's just not conservative enough. So I think those folks do show up and vote extreme right.

Please. Please prove me wrong.

[tabbycat31]

13. Depending on the state indies can vote in primaries

Some states have no party affiliation for voters at all. Others have semi-open primaries (in NJ an independent can vote in a primary, but ceases to be independent the moment they vote in the D/R primary. They can change their registration back to NPA at the clerk's office the next day but realistically people don't do that).

[GusBob]

5. hmmm....time for an independent underground?

Where do independents go to post their views?

Maybe there should be a DU group " Independent DUers"

I live in a swing district in a swing state next to GOTV of the base voters the Indus are the most important voters

[CBGLuthier]

11. Well I have done it on DU for over a decade.

I have been registered as an independent my entire life as Oklahoma does not allow for anything other than R, D or I. I am in fact a socialist who votes democratic because I have no better choice.

[nilesobek]

8. The Republican brand is ruined forever

by their careless lies and wars. We have to keep pounding that home to the public so this Frankenstein GOP monster cannot resurrect itself. Great news for Democrats but should be exploited loudly and swiftly.

[hobbit709]

10. Looks like a good part of the population isn't too happy with either party.

If the Democrats want to get the "I" vote then they need to offer a better choice than "not as bad as the other guys"

[marmar]

12. Yep. The news is worse for Repugs, but this should give Dems pause.

[woo me with science]

15. +1000000 Both parties corrupt, this is what you get.

[woo me with science]

17. kick