Meaning & use
independent voter
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Meanings
nouncountable
A person who votes but is not a registered member of any political party.
Grammar: Countable: use 'an independent voter' or 'independent voters'; the plural takes no article when speaking generally.
Patterns
- an independent voter
- independent voters
- register as an independent voter
In the last election, independent voters made up nearly a third of the electorate.
She registered as an independent voter because she disliked both major parties.
Candidates often try to win over independent voters in the final weeks of a campaign.
nouncountableAmerican
In US politics, a voter who is not enrolled with any party and may vote in either primary, depending on state rules.
Grammar: Often used in the plural 'independent voters' to talk about this group as a bloc.
Patterns
- independent voters
- appeal to independent voters
Some states allow independent voters to choose which party primary they vote in.
Polls show independent voters are more likely to split their tickets.
Word forms
| plural | independent voters |
|---|
Common combinations
- registered independent voter
- He has been a registered independent voter for over twenty years.
- independent voter turnout
- Independent voter turnout was higher than expected this year.
- win over independent voters
- The candidate tried to win over independent voters with a moderate message.
- independent voter bloc
- The independent voter bloc is growing in several states.
Synonyms and how they differ
- unaffiliated voter
- A more formal term used in registration data; it stresses having no party affiliation rather than being politically independent-minded.
- swing voter
- Focuses on someone who may change which party they support between elections, not simply on their registration status.
- floating voter
- Common in British English for a voter who is not committed to one party and may switch; it does not necessarily mean registered as independent.
Opposites
Word family
- independence noun
- The state of being free from control or support by others, including political parties.
- independent adjective
- Not belonging to or controlled by a political party.
- independently adverb
- In a way that is not controlled by others.
Commonly confused: independent voter or independent contractor?
independent voter vs independent contractor
This means a self-employed worker, not a voter; the shared word 'independent' can cause confusion in business contexts.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'independent voter' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option A fits because an independent voter is not a member of a political party; option B contradicts the idea of being independent, option C describes a job, and option D is false because independent voters can vote.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “independent voter”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.