NEW POLL: 71% of Millennials Want to End Two-Party Duopoly

image
Published: 30 Nov, 2017
1 min read

It's no secret that the Millennial generation is the most politically independent generation in the US. Pew Research found in March 2014 that half of Millennials consider themselves independent of the Republican and Democratic Parties, and the number hasn't gone down since.

Most Millennials don't only consider themselves independent of the two major political parties, they want to break up the two-party duopoly as well. According to a recent NBC News/GenForward poll, 71% of Millennials think the two parties are not doing an adequate job and a third party is needed.

The results of the survey were released only a couple months after a Gallup poll found that 61 percent of all likely US voters believe the same -- a record high. It is easy to see how Millennials are a key driver of this trend.

Here are some key findings of the NBC News/GenForward poll:

  • 6 in 10 respondents disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job;
  • 59 percent have an unfavorable view of the Republican Party, and 42 percent have an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party;
  • 8 in 10 white, male respondents said a third party was needed -- the most of any specific race and gender demographic in the Millennial generation;
  • 74 percent of independent Millennials said a third party is needed; while
  • 75 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaners, and 67 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaners said the same thing.

This could make for an interesting midterm election as a record number of third party and independent candidates run for elected office, and the number of representation outside of the two-party duopoly continues to grow.

You can check out the full results of the NBC News/GenForward poll here.

You Might Also Like

Group of people standing outside in DC.
Ranked Choice Voting Survives Delay Attempts in DC
According to reporting from The Washington Informer and WUSA9 (CBS), D.C. Councilmember Wendell Felder (D Ward 7) has withdrawn his emergency legislation that would have required the D.C. Board of Elections (DCBOE) to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment before implementing ranked choice voting (RCV) in 2026. Felder’s proposal did not receive enough support from his colleagues during the council’s December 2 legislative meeting, following a breakfast discussion earlier that morning....
04 Dec, 2025
-
3 min read
Bob Foster
Remembering Bob Foster
Independent Voter News is saddened to share the passing of Bob Foster, a trusted advisor to the Independent Voter Project and a longtime friend of our organization. He died on Sunday at the age of 78....
04 Dec, 2025
-
2 min read
Caution tape with US Capitol building in the background.
Did the Republicans or Democrats Start the Gerrymandering Fight?
The 2026 midterm election cycle is quickly approaching. However, there is a lingering question mark over what congressional maps will look like when voters start to cast their ballots, especially as Republicans and Democrats fight to obtain any electoral advantage possible. ...
11 Nov, 2025
-
8 min read