Independent Voter Resources and Insights

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July 2026 Polling Roundup: Five Races Show Voters Ready to Reward Independents

A roundup of five new Independent Center Voice & Independent Leadership Council benchmark surveys finds a consistent pattern nationwide: low approval for Congress, deep concern about the health of democracy, and strong favorability for bipartisan and independent candidates.

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July 2026 District Survey: Washington's 1st Congressional District

A new Independent Center Voice & Independent Leadership Council survey of Washington's 1st Congressional District, conducted ahead of the August 4 primary, finds Democrat Susan DelBene favored while independent James Etzkorn remains largely unknown to voters.

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July 2026 Statewide Survey: Montana's U.S. Senate Race

A new statewide Independent Center Voice & Independent Leadership Council survey finds Republican Kurt Alme leading Montana's open U.S. Senate race, with independent Seth Bodnar narrowly outperforming the Democratic candidate for second place.

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July 2026 District Survey: Iowa's 1st Congressional District

A new Independent Center Voice & Independent Leadership Council survey of Iowa's 1st Congressional District finds Democrat Christina Bohanna leading a close three-way field while independent Michael Bridgford remains largely unknown to voters.

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July 2026 District Survey: California's 6th Congressional District

A new Independent Center Voice & Independent Leadership Council survey of California's 6th Congressional District finds independent Kevin Kiley trailing Democrat Richard Pan by just four points, with more than a quarter of voters undecided.

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July 2026 Statewide Survey: Alaska's At-Large Congressional District

A new Independent Center Voice & Independent Leadership Council survey of Alaska's at-large House race finds independents make up the largest voting bloc and could swing the outcome once ranked-choice ballots are tallied.

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National Independent Candidate Awareness - Republicans move sharply toward independents

The single most important development in Wave 2 is a real, measurable shift on the right: Republican openness to a strong independent candidate jumped from 62.7% to 70.3% — a +7.6-point move, the largest change anywhere in the survey.

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June 2026 National Survey on Independent Candidates

Survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, 90% registered voters | Est. margin of error ±3.1 points

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May 2026 District Survey: Iowa's 1st Congressional District

Survey of 940 registered voters, Iowa's 1st Congressional District | Independent Center, May 2026

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June 2026 Nationwide Survey: Americans Support Open Primaries but Face Structural Barriers

Survey of 1,141 registered voters | Independent Center Voice and Unite America, June 2026

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June 2026 Nationwide Survey: Americans Feel Less Divided Locally Than National Media Suggests

Nationwide online survey of (n1200) adults | Independent Center Voice, June 2026

Campaigns

How do I manage an independent campaign?

Resources for campaign managers running independent campaigns

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What Americans Really Care About: Why Non-Partisan Solutions Win

Latest polling reveals voters want practical solutions, not partisan gridlock

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Brett’s Rules to Running a Successful Independent Campaign

The top five rules that every independent campaign manager needs to follow.

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Ditch the Donkey, Drop the Elephant

How Playing Nice (and a Little Neutral) Wins Elections

Candidates

How do I run as an independent?

Resources for individuals thinking about running as an independent

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Action over Labels

Findings from Independent Center Voice's new nationwide poll.

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Getting Started as an Independent Candidate

A preliminary guide to running for elected office

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Projection: Record Number of Independent Candidates in 2026

The Independent Center Voice projects record number of independent candidates in 2026, vowing to educate voters.

community

How do I help independents win?

Resources for community members to help independents win

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Veterans for All Voters: Why Military Communities Are Choosing Independence — And Why It's Time to Act

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The Semiquincentennial Renewal: Reclaiming One Nation for America’s 250th Fourth of July

For the first time in modern memory, voters across many districts will have a genuine choice that moves past the same tired debate between red and blue. A wave of pragmatic, common-sense, and deeply patriotic candidates is rising. These are leaders who answer to their local communities, not to party bosses or corporate megadonors. They are bridge-builders who approach challenges through the lens of practical solutions, rather than partisan ideology.

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Letters from the Community: Patriarchs

Patriarchs is a new six-episode audio podcast dramatizing the 50-year relationship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, drawn entirely from real historical letters and memoirs. It doesn't sugarcoat the founders — slavery, Sally Hemings, and their deep contradictions are front and center. The executive producer calls it the most important work of their career. It's available now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with a public radio broadcast on WYPR Baltimore on July 1st and July 4th.

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The Primary System Is Failing Independent Voters. We Asked 15 of Them Why.

A new qualitative study from The Independent Center reveals the real barriers to open primary reform — and why the arguments against it don't hold up.

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The Great Election Irony: Why Trump’s EAC Purge Just Handed Independents a Massive Win

Trump's dismissal of the last bipartisan Election Assistance Commission members hands him total ownership of federal election oversight — and with it, all the accountability if things go wrong in November. While both parties scramble over who controls the referee, Independent candidates are free to focus on real policy and real communities. The parties' panic is telling: they're quietly pressuring Independents to drop out, not each other, because they know where voters are actually looking for an exit.

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How Do Independent Voters Usually Vote? The Data Might Surprise You

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How to Register as an Independent Voter in 2026: A State-by-State Guide

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In Iowa's First District, Neither Party Has a Lock

New polling in Iowa's 1st Congressional District points to something unusual: a genuinely open race, and an electorate that says it's ready to look past party labels.

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The People Are Ready for Open Primaries. The Parties Are the Problem.

New polling from The Independent Center reveals overwhelming public support for primary reform — and a clear-eyed view of who's standing in the way.

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The Reform Map: How Independent Voters Are Rewriting the Rules, State by State

The movement for open primaries and electoral reform isn't a fringe cause anymore — it's a growing political force with real momentum across the country.

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The Local Antidote: How Stepping Away from National Screens Unites Americans

A nationwide survey shows that while national media fuels division, Americans find common ground locally. The data suggests divisiveness stems more from media consumption than real life.

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Your Vote Shouldn't Depend on Your Party Card

Independent voters make up the largest bloc in America. So why are they locked out of the elections that matter most?

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The Primary Is No Longer a Party Favor — And We’re Fighting to Keep It That Way

The Independent Center is working to empower independent voters in the 2026 primary season by advocating for structural reform, providing voter education, and countering legal challenges from major parties attempting to limit electoral competition.