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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 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.
