A new study recently found that an overwhelming 91% of voters under the age of 29 would like to see an independent candidate on the 2016 presidential ballot.
Data Targeting conducted a survey testing public sentiment toward the presidential candidates. They found that 58% of respondents of all age groups are dissatisfied with the current candidates, 55% favor placing an independent candidate on the presidential ticket, and 65% are either somewhat, pretty, or very willing to support a candidate who is not Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.
What is most astonishing is that 91% of those under the age of 29 want to have an independent candidate as an option in November. This is important as Millennials recently surpassed Baby Boomers as the nation's largest living generation.
How Did We Get Here?
Americans are left with two presumptive nominees that have historically high unfavorable ratings, 91% of the younger generation favor an independent candidate, and both political parties are losing registrants as more people choose to become unaffiliated with either major party.
In Data Targeting's study that simulates a three-way race between an independent candidate, Trump, and Clinton, the independent candidate wins 56% among those with an unfavorable opinion of both Trump and Clinton.
Even billionaire David Koch, who has previously donated billions of dollars to Republican candidates, is now reportedly pledging money to support Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson, should he win the Libertarian nomination.
As satisfaction with government and the two major political parties is at an all-time low and no matter how much voters try to buck the establishment, Americans are still left with historically unfavorable options.
It is no wonder why citizens are taking it upon themselves to reform the system by looking toward independent candidates and campaigning for public primaries, nonpartisan redistricting, a more representative voting system, and other citizen-led initiatives that fail to pass through state legislatures.
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