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BumRushDaShow

(143,317 posts)
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 05:23 AM Nov 6

In a First, US Independent Turnout Tops Democrats, Ties Republicans, Edison Research Says

Source: US News and World Report/Reuters

Nov. 6, 2024, at 12:46 a.m.


(Reuters) -Self-identified independents accounted for a larger share of voters in Tuesday's U.S. presidential election than Democrats and were tied with Republicans, Edison Research exit polling data showed.

It was the first time since Edison began exit polling in 2004 that independents' share of overall turnout has exceeded that of one of the two major U.S. political parties.

The independent share stood at 34% in the latest update of Edison's exit poll, compared with 34% for Republicans and 32% for Democrats.

The independent turnout share was up 8 percentage points from 2020, when at 26% it was a distant third to both Democrats and Republicans.

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-11-06/in-a-first-us-independent-turnout-tops-democrats-ties-republicans-edison-research-says

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In a First, US Independent Turnout Tops Democrats, Ties Republicans, Edison Research Says (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Nov 6 OP
Bullshit! 3825-87867 Nov 6 #1
True... I am registered Independent so I can vote in the Republican primaries. Most of my friends are I LiberalArkie Nov 6 #2
I agree. They want to sane wash the steal and for us to buy into it. live love laugh Nov 6 #5
Respectfully disagree. H2O Man Nov 6 #14
I think this is something to worry about. LisaM Nov 6 #3
We've become even more ignorant 3825-87867 Nov 6 #4
Very well said! H2O Man Nov 6 #15
Yes the Obama election was great, but... LisaM Nov 6 #16
I remember when H2O Man Nov 6 #18
I believe most registered independents are Republicans generalbetrayus Nov 6 #6
I believe that wryter2000 Nov 6 #10
If true, most registered independents are republicans Dumpy Nov 6 #20
What you have said. Independents covers Republicans who know they should be ashamed Captain Zero Nov 6 #22
Do we have numbers for overall turnout for all voters compared to 2020? Fiendish Thingy Nov 6 #7
I have the 2020 numbers but am just not in the mood to talk numbers. ancianita Nov 6 #8
Where in hell were all the democrats wryter2000 Nov 6 #9
Don't know if it can be FOIAed. DiamondShark Nov 6 #11
I think that H2O Man Nov 6 #17
We don't have that in Texas, yet we have several of the top cities in population TBF Nov 6 #12
We also have to consider the number, markodochartaigh Nov 6 #13
The independents stuck a fork in the Dems. Hope22 Nov 6 #19
Democrats did not turn out like normal oldmanlynn Nov 6 #21

LiberalArkie

(16,582 posts)
2. True... I am registered Independent so I can vote in the Republican primaries. Most of my friends are I
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 07:25 AM
Nov 6

In the south the I's get purged from the rolls less often. But, the R's started registering I also.

live love laugh

(14,479 posts)
5. I agree. They want to sane wash the steal and for us to buy into it.
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 07:51 AM
Nov 6

There is there is no way that at the last moment we can see the kind of turnaround that gave Trump. This alleged win without some outside interference.

H2O Man

(75,656 posts)
14. Respectfully disagree.
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 03:24 PM
Nov 6

If one notes that the number of independent voters surpassed both the republican and Democratic parties in recent years, this comes as no surprise.

LisaM

(28,681 posts)
3. I think this is something to worry about.
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 07:33 AM
Nov 6

One thing that (especially) younger voters don't pay attention to is the party platform.

I first saw the difference between the 2004 and 2008 elections when Washington still had caucuses. In 2004, turnout was larger than I had seen in earlier years, but everyone engaged in voting on the platform.

In 2008, there were a ton of voters, but they had zero interest in voting for the platform. In fact, in my precinct, they didn't. They skipped it entirely even though it was in the rules that we were supposed to vote for it, and the people running the precinct let that stand for some reason. We just skipped to the vote.

The platform represents everything young voters say they want, including efforts to save the environment, and affordable healthcare. Yet they don't pay attention to it and most of them probably have never heard of it.

I think we were a better country with stronger parties and stronger party identification.

3825-87867

(1,123 posts)
4. We've become even more ignorant
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 07:46 AM
Nov 6

and apathetic about everything unless it pertains directly to each individual.
Hard to believe that those in rural America who have very little and especially small farmers, don't realize they're going to have even less and the Republicans will switch the blame to Democrats.
I got mine, you get yours.
And greed is good (but only for those who have or think they have).

Gordon Gecko for the win.

H2O Man

(75,656 posts)
15. Very well said!
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 03:30 PM
Nov 6

And no surprise, coming from you. And you bring up extremely important points -- ones that every Democrat needs to understand.

We are in an era that is very different than anyone has experienced. It is not like when Democrats alone could win elections ...... and although it has been that way since the felon's era began, to paraphase LBJ, we have to change our thinking in order to master the changing circumstances.

LisaM

(28,681 posts)
16. Yes the Obama election was great, but...
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 03:40 PM
Nov 6

I don't think it strengthened the Democratic party itself. Even his own voters abandoned him in the 2008 special election and in the 2010 midterms. They elected him, but didn't give him the tools to work with. That mystified me, but the lesson was that people were ignoring actual issues to some extent. They share the same values, they want the same things, but seem unwilling to commit their vote beyond the Presidential election year or to understand how government works.

Also, I appreciate your kind words, very much needed today.

H2O Man

(75,656 posts)
18. I remember when
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 03:49 PM
Nov 6

President Obama said, "Make me do it." But once he was elected, good people seemed to sit back, satisfied that he could accomplish anything and everything. And that created a vacumm which was immediately filled by the tea party. And that degenerated into the maga cult that has become the republican party.

generalbetrayus

(660 posts)
6. I believe most registered independents are Republicans
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 08:25 AM
Nov 6

who just don't want to admit they are fascist, racist pigs like those who admit they are Republicans.

Dumpy

(41 posts)
20. If true, most registered independents are republicans
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 04:58 PM
Nov 6

that mean more people would be registered republicans instead of registered democrats. Democrats have a branding problem?

Fiendish Thingy

(18,651 posts)
7. Do we have numbers for overall turnout for all voters compared to 2020?
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 10:15 AM
Nov 6

I know there’s lots of votes still being counted on the west coast, but the last popular vote update I saw - 66 million for Harris, 71 million for Trump- seems way lower than 2020, by like 20 million.

ancianita

(38,743 posts)
8. I have the 2020 numbers but am just not in the mood to talk numbers.
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 11:26 AM
Nov 6

Maybe I'll lay them out later. There will be a postmortem, but today's not my day for it.

DiamondShark

(1,114 posts)
11. Don't know if it can be FOIAed.
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 01:21 PM
Nov 6

Too many were purged off the voter rolls this election cycle. Add that to voter apathy and you get what we saw last night.

This is one result of FAFO, or Stay Home and Find Out.

TBF

(34,526 posts)
12. We don't have that in Texas, yet we have several of the top cities in population
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 01:41 PM
Nov 6

We do not have registration. The only time we have to declare at all is when we vote in a primary, and it does not obligate us in the general.

Do other states have to register by party to vote??

I smell BS on this.

markodochartaigh

(2,202 posts)
13. We also have to consider the number,
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 03:21 PM
Nov 6

usually about one third, who can't be bothered to vote as long as they get their hamberders and sportsball.

Ignorance and apathy are the Achilles' heels of democracy and in the US both ignorance of issues and apathy towards politics are considered cool.

Hope22

(2,999 posts)
19. The independents stuck a fork in the Dems.
Wed Nov 6, 2024, 04:53 PM
Nov 6

The Republicans are now Maga. A few more cycles and it will all be Maga. No D, no R simply MAGA hail it the king. Think of the money that will be saved on campaigns. The effort and time saved will allow everyone to have a hobby or study something interesting or attend therapy.

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