Gallup: Majority of Voters Declare Their Political Independence

ballot
Photo Credit: Element5 Digital on Unsplash
Published: 05 Jul, 2024
1 min read

Photo Credit: Element5 Digital on Unsplash

 

Gallup generally finds that independent voter ID in the US falls between 40 to 50 percent of the electorate. However, 4 months out from November, the latest numbers show 51% of Americans now identify as independent of the two major parties. 

It is the first time since January 2021 that Gallup found independent ID reached 50% and the first time in the history of Gallup's tracking that it hit a majority of surveyed voters.

Gallup Poll

Gallup released its latest numbers not long after a CNN presidential debate left voters exclaiming, "Are these really our options?!" The findings indicate that predicting voter behavior this cycle will not be easy.

That being said, it may be a good sign for a historic year in election reform, as 6 states plus the District of Columbia will have primary reform on the ballot. Five of these efforts combine it with ranked choice voting.

In other words, many voters in 2024 will have an opportunity outside polling to declare their independence from a two-party system that has produced nothing but hyper-polarization and partisan legislative gridlock. 

You Might Also Like

The American River
Josh Hoover’s Test as a Moderate Republican: Can He Win Independent Voters Again?
The American River connects the cities of Folsom, Rancho Cordova, and Citrus Heights, forming the core of California’s 7th Assembly District, which also includes the unincorporated communities of McClellan Park, North Highlands, Foothill Farms, Fair Oaks, Orangevale, Gold River, Rosemont, Mather, and most of Carmichael. The district lies entirely within Sacramento County....
06 Jan, 2026
-
9 min read
“Cartoon illustration of Americans facing the U.S. Capitol as light pierces through red and blue partisan cracks, representing independent voters and hope for political reform.”
New Poll: Voters Want New Leadership – and They’re Turning to Independents
A new poll from the Independent Center highlights a clear message from the public: Americans are fed up with the current political leadership, and they’re ready for change....
12 Nov, 2025
-
2 min read
person with a voted sticker.
CNN Poll Shows Independent Voters Are More Diverse Than You Think
A new CNN poll conducted by SSRS between August 21 and September 1 surveyed 2,077 adults, including 1,006 who identify as independents. The results challenge the idea that independents are a single bloc of undecided swing voters. Instead, they fall into five distinct groups with very different views of politics....
26 Sep, 2025
-
2 min read
Why Mathematicians Love Ranked Choice Voting
Why Mathematicians Love Ranked Choice Voting
The Institute for Mathematics and Democracy (IMD) has released what may be the most comprehensive empirical study of ranked choice voting ever conducted. The 66-page report analyzes nearly 4,000 real-world ranked ballot elections, including some 2,000 political elections, and more than 60 million simulated ones to test how different voting methods perform....
11 Dec, 2025
-
4 min read
California flag
Quirk Silva’s Exit Sparks a High-Profile Orange County Clash, Where Independent Voters Control the Math
California’s 67th Assembly District stretches across parts of Orange and Los Angeles counties, connecting some of the region’s most dynamic and diverse suburban communities. It includes the entire cities of Cerritos, La Palma, Hawaiian Gardens, Artesia, Buena Park, and Cypress, as well as portions of Fullerton and Anaheim....
18 Dec, 2025
-
6 min read
Donald Trump
Trump Signs Order to Reclassify Cannabis to Schedule III
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Thursday that his administration will officially move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, a decision that marks the most significant change to U.S. drug policy since the early 1970s....
18 Dec, 2025
-
2 min read