Gallup: Indie Voters Up, Dems Down

Gallup reports that in 2010, the percentage of voters identifying as independents increased to 38%, on the high end of what Gallup has measured in the last two decades. This fact corresponds with an increased demand by indies to be able to vote in primaries. Independents joined an Idaho lawsuit last year to defend the state's open primary


INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• A polarized Congress in a US seeking pragmatism (By LIZ SIDOTI, The Associated Press, Washington Post) Today, more Americans are identifying themselves as independent while majorities of the country view both the Democratic and Republican parties unfavorably. Disaffected Republican and Democratic operatives are forming groups to advocate on behalf of - if not organize - unaffiliated voters, indicating that momentum may be building among the center for increased political action.

• Crony capitalism (By Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post/Right Turn)

• In race for political center, Obama has advantages - Obama already broke from his base; Republicans indebted to theirs (By Paul West, Tribune Washington Bureau, Los Angeles Times) Independent voters are now the largest voting bloc but they're not monolithic," said former Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.). He said Boehner can't lose sight of the need to control the center, so he'll have to be careful not to get on the wrong side of independent voters.

• Beyond Repeal (BY CHARLIE COOK, National Journal) In three combined postelection Gallup polls, 31 percent of adults identified themselves as Democrats, 29 percent as Republicans, and a whopping 38 percent as independents.

• Nevada Voters Move to the Middle (Arianna Bennett, KTVN Reno Channel 2 News) The Nevada Secretary of State's office reported an increase in Nevadans registering non-partisan, instead of with one of the major parties. And some political analysts said this could mark a trend, with voters moving away from political extremes and finding a place in the middle.

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Idaho G.O.P. Seeks to Close Open Primaries (By WILLIAM YARDLEY, NY Times) “I don’t believe the Republican Party in Idaho has suffered here under an open primary,” said Ben Ysursa, the Idaho secretary of state, who has been put in the awkward position of defending the state against his own party.

• Bills an effort to reach out to independents (The Oklahoman Editorial) The increasing number of registered independents in Oklahoma don't vote in some elections because they can't. Political primaries and runoffs are off limits to them — not by law, but because the two major political parties have chosen to keep their primaries closed to independents… Independents? In Oklahoma, they've voluntarily waived the right to vote except in general elections.

REDISTRICTING
Guest Column: Democracy the loser in national redistricting (By Bob Edgar,

• SPECIAL TO Rockford Register Star) Thirteen states have established nonpartisan or bipartisan commissions to take the lead in redistricting. At Common Cause, where I serve as president, we’re particularly proud of our support of such panels, which generally are bitterly opposed by political party organizations.

NEW YORK

• Tax Charges to Be Added in Espada Case (By WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM)

• Bye bye, boomlet (WHYY NewsWorks - Public radio Philadelphia) It has become a tired ritual, at least within the Manhattan-centric media, to float the New York mayor as an independent candidate for the White House.

• Political Action: Bloomy should stick to being mayor, not eyeing presidency (By William Lewis, Your Nabe.com Queens) In terms of an independent campaign for president against the two major party candidates in 2012, Bloomberg seems to believe that the independent movement is growing in this country and more citizens will be leaving the two-party system to vote for independent candidates. That theory does not seem to hold up when we look at the recently concluded fall elections. The state Independence Party lost its ballot position of Row C, which it has held for more than a decade, and was moved back to Row E by the state Conservative Party, which advanced to Row C.

EDUCATION REFORM:

• CHSE Cites New Report as Cause for Concern in Road to Successful Implementation of Common Core State Standards (PRESS RELEASE PR Newswire Campaign for High School Equity) CHSE is a coalition of leading civil rights organizations representing communities of color that is focused on high school education reform.