THE INDEPENDENT VOTER

The rise of the independent voter is the most important development to emerge on the American political scene in the past 25 years.

Independent voters can be self-identified, registered as independent or unaffiliated, or a voter who is only loosely aligned with one party or the other. Often, independent voters switch their registration from one party to another in order to participate in whichever primary election they feel is most important. Many independent voters will not participate in party primaries at all and only vote in local elections or general elections.

Independents run the political gamut, from fiscal conservatives to progressives. They often have a strong libertarian streak and believe in personal freedom and stringent controls on the powers of government. They are more interested in finding solutions to problems that affect their families, their homes and themselves than they are in partisan politics.

Most voters under the age of 35 consider themselves independent voters, regardless of registration or party affiliation. They often show a healthy disdain for the two-party system, for elected officials, for typical political candidates and campaigns, and for the gamesmanship of partisan politics.

Many independents vote only in those elections where there is a candidate in whom they truly believe or an issue which they feel is extremely important. They do not believe in "strategic voting" and don't subscribe to the notion of voting for "the lesser of two evils" or the "least worst" candidate. Independent voters tend to be more concerned with and involved in elections which have a direct effect on the day-to-day lives of their families, their neighborhoods, and themselves.

Most self-identified independent voters believe in:

• Patriotism
• Government accountability
• Fiscal responsibility in government
• Civil rights, states' rights, and individual freedoms
• A strong defense
• Fair play, a level playing field, and equal opportunity for all Americans
• Term limits for elected officials
• Restrictions on the powers of government
• Clean elections and public financing of campaigns
• Universal and equal rights to fair wages, health care, and quality public education

They also believe that character and values are important for political leadership.

With a combined 60+ years in Independent politics, the partners at DHOB understand Independent voters better than any other political consultancy.

Independent Candidates
The best independent candidates are either elected officials with a firsthand knowledge of the problems inherent in the current partisan political system, or private-sector individuals who have demonstrated leadership and success in fields other than politics.

Most of these candidates have strong ideas and creative, novel solutions to real-world problems, as well as the determination and know-how to succeed in the face of daunting odds.

Generally, these candidates come to politics with an established track record of success in other fields and accomplishments or resources that help them level the playing field: high name recognition, a large network of personal contacts, personal wealth, or a demonstrated ability to build successful businesses or organizations. They are more often entrepreneurs or "idea people;" leaders rather than managers or bureaucrats.