Independents

About One in Four Voters Are “Swing Voters”

Higher proportion than in 2004

June 30, 2008

At this point in the presidential election campaign, 23% of likely voters can be considered “swing voters.” There are more voters in play now than at any point during the 2004 election. Swing voters in this election cycle are more likely to be conservative or moderate, white, and older.More ...

Inside the Swing Vote

June 30, 2008

Independents, conservatives, moderates, and voters aged 30 and older are among the most likely to say they are currently undecided about who they will vote for or could still change their mind.

Obama, McCain Highly Competitive for Independent Vote

Latest tracking aggregate shows Obama 44%, McCain 42% among independents

May 14, 2008

Barack Obama and John McCain can expect a highly competitive battle for the votes of political independents if they face each other this fall. The most recent Gallup Poll Daily tracking aggregate shows 44% of independent voters favoring Obama and 42% McCain.More ...

McCain Widely Recognized as a “War Hero”

Nearly 4 in 10 are attracted by his Vietnam record to his candidacy

April 28, 2008

John McCain receives bipartisan acclaim from Americans for his military service to the country, with 66% calling him a “war hero.” Additionally, 38% of Americans say they are more likely to vote for him for president because of it.More ...

Marital Status and Party Preference Often Related

GOP fares better among married Americans

February 14, 2008

Americans’ party affiliation varies by their marital status. Unmarried Americans are more likely to identify as Democrats than as independents or in particular Republicans, while married Americans tilt toward the GOP. Within the group of U.S. Republicans, the married vastly outnumber the unmarried.More ...

Iraq and the Economy Are Top Issues to Voters

Republicans focused more on terrorism, moral values

February 13, 2008

Americans think all 14 issues rated in the latest USA Today/Gallup poll will be extremely or very important to their vote. Iraq and the economy rank highest, with both issues highly important to Democrats and independents, while terrorism dominates among Republicans.More ...

Gender Gap

October 1, 2007

Independent voters drive the gender gap in Hillary Clinton's favorability ratings.

Examining Barack Obama's Strong Appeal to Highly Educated Americans

Obama's appeal to the highly educated is particular strong among independents and Republicans

August 10, 2007

Barack Obama has a much greater appeal to highly educated Americans than those with less education. A part of the explanation for this phenomenon is that Obama is better known among those with higher levels of education. Gallup analysis shows that Obama has a particularly strong appeal to independents and Republicans with higher levels of education, one that is not duplicated by Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, or Al Gore.More ...

Gallup Finds Increase in Independents, Typical of Off-Years

Percentage identifying as independents is 37%, up from 33% in third quarter of 2006

August 2, 2007

A recurring pattern in political party ID trends is that the percentage of Americans identifying as independents dips right before national elections -- typically in the third quarter of an election year -- and peaks sometime between elections. Accordingly, with July 2007 being about halfway between the 2006 midterm elections and the 2008 presidential election, a high proportion of Americans are identifying themselves as independents.More ...

Gallup Analysis: Who's Satisfied and Who's Not?

Republicans, conservatives most satisfied; Democrats, liberals least satisfied

June 9, 2006

Since March 2006, Americans' overall level of satisfaction with the state of the nation has been at or below 30%. An analysis of Gallup polling since that time shows Republicans and conservatives are the most satisfied groups in the country, while liberals and Democrats are the least satisfied.More ...