A roll of "I voted" stickers is ready for voters at Union Congregational Church in Green Bay during the spring primary election Feb. 15, 2022. PC: Fox 11 Online
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Voters are ditching the “R” and “D” labels in record numbers.
That’s according to a recent Gallup poll that showed a record-high 45% of respondents consider themselves to be independents, rather than Republicans or Democrats. That’s up two points from 2024 and seven points over the last decade.
“I think it means that they are not as married to their party, the way a fan might almost be married to their team,” said Lawrence University political science and U.S. history professor Jerald Podair. “They are willing to switch off under certain circumstances.”
Wisconsin could see a shift in power in 2026, with redrawn maps that will favor Democrats more than the previous ones. But Podair doesn’t believe this independent trend will have much of an impact.
“It’s possible that they could take one or both of the houses (Senate and Assembly) coming,” said Podair. “But I don’t see that as some sort of fundamental change in the structure of state politics.”
Independents particularly common among Gen Z
It’s particularly prevalent among Gen Z. 56% say they’re political independents — the most of any age groups.
“A lot of people have shifted to voting more third party, just because of how Democratic candidates were handling the issues in Palestine starting in 2023,” said Emma Pankow, president of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh College Democrats. “And I will say, a lot of people are not happy with how Democrats in Congress are handling some of the policies that the Trump administration is pushing out.”
Pankow said she’s noticed the shift in her four years in college, though there are still new students groups involved in left-leaning causes.
Gen Z still favors Democrats, but gap is closing
Voters in the 18-29 age range have favored Democrats in each of the last three presidential elections, but that gap has narrowed.
- 2016: 58-26 (+32 points – Clinton)
- 2020: 59-35 (+24 points – Biden)
- 2024: 58-39 (+19 points – Harris)
The recent poll showed 27% favoring Democrats and 17% Republicans, with the rest independent.
“What surprised me most about this poll was the relatively small margin that Democrats had among the very young,” said Podair.
The vice president of the UW-Oshkosh College Republicans said in a message Thursday that he believes affordability is a key driver, with more young voters trusting the Republican Party when it comes to fiscal responsibility. On the other side, Pankow said her College Democrats chapter is prioritizing issues students will relate to, like student loans, health care and marijuana legalization.
“We’re trying to show students that, ‘Hey, this candidate supports these policies and you would really benefit from this,'” said Pankow. “Even if you don’t typically vote for a left-leaning candidate.”
Since voters typically turn more Republican as they age, the results of this poll bode well for the future of the Republican Party. But as the numbers grow, the party the independents choose to side with could decide future elections.
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