According to a 2026 Gallup poll, 45 percent of Americans identify as Independent, while 27 percent identify as Democrats and 27 percent identify as Republicans. The two legacy parties in the United States would have you believe there are only two options for political identity—you’re either a Democrat or a Republican. However, Americans today are far more likely to identify as an Independent than either a Democrat or a Republican.
This trend has been well researched since at least the 1960s. Between the 1960 and 2012 elections, the share of self-identified Independents doubled from 23 percent to 46 percent, rendering Independents the most populous category of self-identification in 2012. If this trend continues, those with Independent political identity may soon be in the majority in the United States. So, perhaps we should explore the psychology that shapes Independent political identity.
The Psychological Forces Shaping Independents
Social identity theory examines how an individual’s self-concept is shaped by membership or non-membership in social groups. An independent political identity represents a distinct orientation toward politics and engagement in the United States. Political socialization in the United States occurs primarily through educational institutions, media exposure, and civic participation. The development of a political identity often precedes the formation of partisan attachments. Individuals can become engaged in politics without simultaneously identifying with either major party. One of the outcomes of teaching critical thinking in schools and universities is a more independent-minded electorate.
Individuals who declare themselves politically independent are motivated by a desire for more authentic forms of political engagement, rather than by the belief or expectation that they will adopt the political attitudes and patterns of behavior most associated with members of a particular party. Independents tend to value open dialogue more than party-affiliated citizens do; policy-oriented rather than candidate-based engagement more than partisans do; and attention to positions on specific issues more than partisans typically do.
Political independents are also more likely to voice skepticism concerning the credibility and relevance of information bearing organized party labels than are partisans. Independents view political parties as increasingly responsible for the imperfections and failings of the political system. All of these forces are converging to foster independent political identity in the United States.
Consequences of Growing Independent Identity
The increase in independent political identities has significant implications for the basic functioning of American democracy. And the legacy parties need to decide how they want to engage Independents moving forward. Consider what happens when a large portion of the electorate loses trust in the institutions of democracy or what happens when a large portion of the electorate declines to vote. The decline in trust and voter turnout is a reflection of the legacy parties focusing more and more on primary voters and less and less on general public engagement. This can be remedied by reducing the rigidity and demand for conformity within legacy parties.
Ultimately, the future of American democracy depends on the engagement of Independents as themselves, not by convincing them to join legacy parties. Similarly, independent political identity does not necessitate a singular new third political party, because independent political identity is not singular. A rise in independent political identity in the United States gives us the opportunity to reimagine a trustworthy, consensus-driven democracy that is not controlled by a two-party political system.
