Are you a registered Independent planning to vote for Hillary?

[Native]

Last edited Wed Apr 6, 2016, 09:58 AM - Edit history (1)

I have been an Independent since I first registered to vote 40 years ago. Can't even remember when I last voted for a Republican, but I live in a very red pocket of a swing state, and we get the occasional worthless Democrat, who has no business making any decisions that effect others, running against a decent Republican. It does happen, and I'm sure there have been times I've voted for a Republican in local races (just can't remember when). That said, with all the talk on this board about Independents swinging for Bernie, I'd really like to know I'm not alone in my support for Hillary ('cause I sometimes feel that way).

[BlueMTexpat]

1. I've always been a registered Dem.

And I am a Hillary Clinton supporter. I have - on very rare occasions - voted for a Republican candidate. Only one - Charles Mathias - was at a federal level. The others have been at local levels. My Dem registration has never prevented me from doing that in a GE.

But if you live in a state with a "closed" Dem primary and are registered as an Independent, you will be unable to vote in the Dem primary in that state, no matter which candidate you prefer.

If your question is less about registration prerequisites and more about whether independents support Hillary, I cannot speak first-had to that, but I have anecdotal evidence that it is true. You are not alone, even though it may seem so.

It is also true that more who describe themselves as independents have favored Bernie in the voting so far.

[Native]

4. I feel very alone, which is why I posted this. Wish there were more of us here on DU.

[BlueMTexpat]

14. You shouldn't feel alone if you are an HRC

supporter, whatever your designated party!

[creon]

2. Yes

I have lived in two states - MI and TX.
When I registered, I did not indicate a party.
I vote Democratic, as much as I can.
But, I have voted GOP or third party.
In TX, the Democratic Party is weak.

[Native]

6. I guess no party affiliation counts! So alone on DU!!!! Whaaaa

[mcar]

3. My registered Independent son

First time voter, is supporting Hillary!

[Native]

5. Thanks for this!

[DemonGoddess]

7. like mcar, my oldest

is also registered with no party affiliation. He has always voted Dem. My youngest started out as the same kind of registration, but changed that to Dem last year.

So no, don't think you're alone. I think you and others like you are drowned out.

[Native]

8. NPA versus Independent

This was a nice learning experience for me. When I registered as an Independent in Virginia or Maryland back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, that was my 'not wanting to be pigeonholed' option. Now I'm in Florida, and it turns out that registering as an Independent is actually a minor party here, so I took the time to check my card just now, and fortunately it says NPA.

I know they are just words, but I like the distinction of Independent much more than No Party Affiliation. NPA seems like more of a total slam against the two parties, whereas Independent just seems to me to be more of a "less likely to tow the party line" kind of distinction.

[DemonGoddess]

11. Not really

NPA just means that you feel that you should vote how you want, and are not comfortable with affiliating with any party. There's many people like that, and there's nothing wrong at all with it.

[seaglass]

17. In the real world only 10% of Independents are not partisan - they really are not so "independent",

I would rather be NPA.

[BlueCaliDem]

9. Always been a proud Democrat.

Played with the idea of registering myself as an Independent some sixteen years ago, but thought better of it. I was upset about Democrats not supporting Al Gore during the recount, and didn't want to take action based on my anger.

It was President Bill Clinton who had convinced me to become a Democrat. His leadership, pushing the country forward and doing good work for the poor and working poor, convinced me I was a Democrat, and I haven't looked back since. I wanted to be part of the Party that actually got things done for the American people.

[Native]

12. I've often thought about becoming a Democrat on paper...

but it is so red where I live that I'm constantly asked if I'm a Republican or a Democrat whenever I'm engaged in a discussion about politics or almost any social issue. These are people who will simply shut you out or threaten you once they find out you're a Dem. When I say I'm an Independent, they will sometimes talk to me and even listen. I've converted a few Republicans, but just a few. Even as an Independent though, I've been threatened with physical harm just for not being a Republican. We can't even put bumper stickers on our cars if we don't want our cars to get keyed or worse. When I had my Obama magnet on my car, it lasted about two weeks. I was accosted at the gym, in store parking lots, and cut off and flipped off on the road. Not a cool situation to be in when you have kids in the car or value your life. I'm a woman, and it has always been men who have made the threats. So much for southern hospitality.

[BlueCaliDem]

15. I can understand your predicament. I wouldn't register as a Democrat if I were living in your part

of the woods, either. Family safety FIRST.

I live in California so I'm safe here.

Do what you need to do to keep family safe FIRST and FOREMOST.

[Native]

18. If Cruz gets the nom, I'm thinking I might actually be able to campaign

safely for Hillary. I don't know if you watched the panel discussion on MSNBC last night, but Nicolle, the resident Republican, said that according to the "smart" Republicans she's spoken to who are on the inside track, it was the Republican moms who voted in the last election; the single women mostly abstained. And their polling today shows that single Republican women would vote for Hillary before they'd vote for Cruz. I'm thinking if I avoid the men, I might actually be instrumental in getting some females in our neck of the woods to vote for Hillary. I guess I'll have to visit our Dem HQ's and see what they think. It sure would feel good to be able to get out there and do something for Hillary without having to watch my back every second.

[pandr32]

10. That's okay. I'm a Dem and sometimes feel the same way

...in my neighborhood (thank goodness we're moving) and most definitely at the "Democratic caucus" I attended in WA State. Go with your good sense and never mind the peer pressure. Fads die, but consequences live on. We need Madame President.

[GusBob]

13. Because of where I live (swing district in a swing state) I am registered NPA

No Party Affiliation. I get polled during election years as a "swing voter" But I always vote DEM .

The primaries are of no matter here, really.

[seaglass]

16. I am unenrolled which is the MA designation for no party affiliation. I voted for Hillary in the

primary and never have voted for a Republican (except maybe in a town election where they don't always disclose). My husband is unenrolled and voted for Bernie however he has come to regret that vote and will have no problem voting for Hillary in the GE.

If MA decided to have closed primary elections I would have no problem joining the Democratic party.

[Native]

19. My husband was for Bernie too. So much fun in our household because of this...

we haven't disagreed on anything regarding politics in 25 years! And having conversations with him about this has actually kept me sane since he argues with facts and reason. It's been refreshing, and so unlike anything on DU.

[seaglass]

21. It ended up in my house being my daughter and I voting Hillary and my husband and son voting Bernie.

So we cancelled each other out.

My husband is more conservative than I am which you wouldn't think fits with him voting Bernie and me voting Hillary if you believe the "conventional wisdom." I do think his was a vote for not-Hillary, not in the misogynist sense but in the sense that he thinks we need some kind of change, Bernie is new to him and Hillary is not.

We have often disagreed about politics but as long as he is not racist, homophobic or sexist and does not vote Republican we are good.

[shadowandblossom]

20. I've always been an independent.

I registered as a Dem now because I'm going to vote for Clinton. I know 2 other independents who also registered as Democrats to weigh in.

[wysi]

22. NPA here

I never really thought about registering until this year, as I normally don't vote in primaries (until this year, when I had a very clear preference for Hillary). As it turns out my state (VA) is open, so I didn't need to do anything.

Years ago I voted for two republicans at state level in MA when the Democratic candidates were very bad indeed (once was when I voted for Bill Weld over John Silber for governor of MA, as I had been a student at Boston University when Silber was president of the University,and I knew that he would make a very bad governor).