The Changing Independent Voters in American Politics
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The purpose of this research is to explore how independents’ characteristics have been changed from 1960 to 2012. The data analysis reveals that how independents’ characteristics are different from other partisans and how today’s independents are different from the traditional view of independents in the 1960s. My findings show that the number of independents has increased, so they became a larger group than Democrats or Republicans. Independents’ ideological policy position is more moderate than liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans. Regarding age, independents are four or five years on average younger than partisans. Regarding gender, the proportion of women among independents falls between Democrats and Republicans. The characteristic of independents’ race is also situated in the middle between black Democrats and white Republicans. Independents’ average house income is also comfortably situated in the middle between wealthier Republicans and poorer Democrats. Most of all, the data have revealed that independents today are more educated and more interested in politics than a few decades ago. In research on Americans’ electoral behavior, independents have been usually ignored by scholars because independents are regarded as unreliable voters having no interest, no knowledge, and no involvement in politics. However, my data revealed that independents have been changed and they are currently better educated and very interested in politics. Thus, my data analysis shows that independents do deserve more attention from academic scholars of voting and elections. For the study, I employed the survey data of American National Election Studies from 1960 to 2012.
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to explore how independents’ characteristics have been changed from 1960 to 2012. The data analysis reveals that how independents’ characteristics are different from other partisans and how today’s independents are different from the traditional view of independents in the 1960s. My findings show that the number of independents has increased, so they became a larger group than Democrats or Republicans. Independents’ ideological policy position is more moderate than liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans. Regarding age, independents are four or five years on average younger than partisans. Regarding gender, the proportion of women among independents falls between Democrats and Republicans. The characteristic of independents’ race is also situated in the middle between black Democrats and white Republicans. Independents’ average house income is also comfortably situated in the middle between wealthier Republicans and poorer Democrats. Most of all, the data have revealed that independents today are more educated and more interested in politics than a few decades ago. In research on Americans’ electoral behavior, independents have been usually ignored by scholars because independents are regarded as unreliable voters having no interest, no knowledge, and no involvement in politics. However, my data revealed that independents have been changed and they are currently better educated and very interested in politics. Thus, my data analysis shows that independents do deserve more attention from academic scholars of voting and elections. For the study, I employed the survey data of American National Election Studies from 1960 to 2012.
참고문헌 (16)
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