Independent Voting’s President and Vice President, Jackie Salit and Cathy Stewart discuss the history of the independent movement, who are independents and the 2024 election results with Katie Fahey and Brittany Buford on the Respect Voters Coalition podcast, “Behind the Bullet”
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Frustrated but Engaged: Gen Z Attitudes on Voting, Parties and Issues in 2024
Arizona State University’s Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy released a new report, “Frustrated but Engaged: Gen Z Attitudes on Voting, Parties and Issues in 2024.” The report is co-authored by Co-Directors of the Center, Dr. Thom Reilly and Independent Voting President Jackie Salit, along with Dan Hunting and Cathy Stewart, Vice President for National Development at Independent Voting, and corroborates findings that young voters are the fastest growing constituency of independents in the country.
Find and download the report here
Why is it so hard to know how many independent voters there are?
Dr. Thom Reilly, co-director with Jackie Salit of the Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy at ASU, argues that there’s a need to study independent voters through a new lens.
“So while there’s not consensus on how many independent voters there are in the U.S., their numbers do seem to be growing. The increase may require scholars, media outlets and the public to shift their traditional two-party view of American politics. It’s possible that the long-standing survey questions are no longer – or maybe never were – actually good at identifying political views of independent voters.
Studying the Independent Voter: Jackie Salit & Andrew Yang
Andrew Yang speaks with Independent Voting President Jackie Salit on his Forward Party Podcast. An extensive interview on the history of independent politics and the current state of affairs for independents and the country.
Can Independents Be a Bridge Over Our Partisan Divide?
Insightful piece on the role of independents by Thom Reilly, co-director with Jackie Salit of the Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy at ASU
“Our findings show that independents have social networks that are structurally different from those of partisans. Specifically, we found that both Democratic and Republican respondents were more likely to frequently talk about politics with independents than with members of the opposing party.”
Read the article in Gathering.Com
Fusion voting brings more people to the polls – The Fulcrum
In a recent article published by The Fulcrum, Wayne Griffin, chair of the Independence Party of South Carolina, denounces a bill aimed at abolishing fusion voting in South Carolina and outlines the impact the bill would have if enacted into law:
“Abolishing fusion would hurt the voters of our state, especially those in the African American community. Fusion allows for the building of electoral coalitions that include minor political parties along with the Democrats or Republicans, coalitions that appeal to the fastest growing (and often largest) group of voters: independents.”
Independent Voters: Rising, Real and Ready: A Virtual Discussion with CNN’s Michael Smerconish
On March 7th 2022 Jackie Salit, President of Independentvoting.org and Open Primaries President John Opdycke, interviewed Michael Smerconish, CNN television and radio host, author, lawyer and independent, on the state of the independent voter phenomenon
Watch the video of the discussion
A caucus casualty and a serious loss for democracy – Boston Herald
“Allen is a leading voice on the crisis in American democracy. And now she has fallen victim to one of its most insidious practices: party control over nominations,” says Independent Voting President Jacqueline Salit in her recent op-ed in the Boston Herald.
Virginia’s results are no mystery, if you know your election history – The Fulcrum
Either party could capture the middle if they studied Ross Perot’s 1992 presidential run, writes Independent Voting President Jacqueline Salit in her recent article in The Fulcrum, published November 19, 2021.
“Flash forward to 2021. That third force has not congealed in traditional ways, yet. But independents who were 34 percent of the electorate in 1993 and are 41 percent today are deciding important elections from top to bottom. Isn’t it time for the Democrats — and the Republicans — to study this history and adjust their playbooks accordingly?”
Staten Island woman, 24, hopes to educate young people on independent voting – Staten Island Advance
“No one should have to join a political party to be able to vote in the primaries, especially when they’re funded with taxpayer dollars,” said Julia Hemsworth in an article published by the Staten Island Advance (silive.com) on March 23rd, 2021.