New Hampshire Independent voters count

The Christian Science Monitor today invites us to: Meet some of New Hampshire's freethinking and increasingly dissatisfied independents [Donna Richards, Andre Gibeau, Betty Ward, Russ Ouellette], who quite possibly hold the key to the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. They dwarf the ranks of registered Democrats or Republicans in this state. What they're thinking may well signal which themes will strike a chord with the roughly 20 percent of voters nationwide who consider themselves independents....

Good time for voters to think for themselves

Letter from Donna Lee Richards, Nashua
Published: Sunday, October 21, 2007, Nashua Telegraph

At a time in our history when it is more important than ever that people think for themselves instead of blindly following party, propaganda or pressure, thank you for your prominent coverage of a recent local event that brought together independent-minded voters. (Oct. 15: "Independent voters make voices heard")

What most people don't know is that independents – voters who do not align themselves with a political party – make up the vast majority of voters.

Independents are largely misunderstood and tend to get labeled (leaners, swing voters, undecided, undeclared, people less likely to vote, etc.) despite the very nature of not wanting to be labeled in the first place.

The interesting thing about a gathering of independents is that it is devoid of much of the pressure and negativity that a party-sponsored activity generates.

No one gets excluded. Issues get voiced rather than people getting scrutinized and bashed. Ideas get offered, exchanged and valued. It's about the power and responsibility of the individual voter to consider all options and make educated decisions.

There are more independents than Republicans, more independents than Democrats, and more independents than ever before.

Thanks for recognizing the power of this phenomenon because now is the time for voters to exercise their freedoms and think for themselves.

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Good time for voters to think for themselves (Nashua Telegraph)
• California politicians can't reform themselves-Editorials about the SCHIP veto and City Hall lobbying point to the need for third-party reform. (LA Times)
• New Louisiana governor targets ethics (Philadelphia Inquirer)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Independent voters make voices heard -- New Hampshire Association of Independent Voters (Nashaua Telegraph)
• The GOP and Hillary: What a hoot-Most independent voters won't admit it, but we're probably leaning toward Barack Obama out of default. (The Columbian)