In all the "Bernie would have won/No he wouldn't" posts I've read...........

[Garrett78]

15. You're subscribing to the myth of the "independent" voter.

See here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512663884

The vast majority don't simply *lean* one way or another. The vast majority are actually strongly partisan. People like the term "independent" because it's viewed as more socially acceptable and hip. People will rail against partisanship while being quite partisan themselves. Make no mistake, most are very partisan. What's really interesting is that they're even more partisan than the average party-affiliated voter was in decades past--it makes sense when you realize how polarized we are these days.

Also, young voters happen to make up a very large bloc of the electorate at this time in our history, and young people are especially inclined to be unaffiliated (which, again, you shouldn't associate with non-partisan). Most become party-affiliated by their late 20s.

And some simply live in areas where being "non-affiliated" is the only option.

"Which means they feel their beliefs aren't covered by a majority of the Dems or the Repubs."

You've inferred that, but that's not the reality. Survey after survey confirms what I wrote above.