Five weeks from the midterms, the campaign season is at its loudest. Ads are everywhere, the stakes feel high, and most races look like a choice between two familiar options. Yet the latest national survey, the fourth in a series since early summer, finds that American voters are still looking for something more.
65% of U.S. adults say they would be likely to vote for a strong, well-funded independent candidate who shared their views and was willing to work with both sides. That's roughly two in three Americans. It's a few points below the summer high, which is typical as a campaign season intensifies, but across four surveys and four separate samples this number has never fallen below a clear majority.
This isn't a fringe sentiment. It shows up among Democrats (67%), Republicans (63%) and independents (72%) alike.
Only about 6% currently plan to vote for an independent in their own district. Part of the reason is awareness.
About four in 10 Americans say they're aware of independent candidates on their 2026 ballot. Another one in five say they'd be interested but haven't heard anything, and 77% of that group say they would be likely to support a strong independent.
The most common hesitation is a practical one. About a quarter of Americans say their first thought about independent and third-party candidates is that they might act as a "spoiler," pulling votes away from a major-party candidate. That concern has edged up slightly as Election Day approaches.
Nearly as many Americans see independents positively: as a fresh start that can move the country forward (21%), or as a source of new ideas that push both parties to take on issues they might otherwise overlook (22%).
This wave also asked about one of the defining challenges of the coming decade: artificial intelligence and its effects on jobs, privacy, misinformation and safety.
Americans' confidence runs highest in scientists, universities and researchers (62% confident), followed by technology companies (47%). Confidence in government institutions of every kind is more modest.
Three in four Americans (76%) feel that elected officials are more focused on appearing to address AI than on actually addressing it. Democrats (79%), independents (79%) and Republicans (69%) all share that view. Read more in Americans Agree on AI.
Four surveys into this series, the message from voters is consistent. A majority of Americans are open to independent candidates, that openness spans every party, and many voters simply haven't heard from one yet. Across the political spectrum, people want leaders who focus on results.
Methodology: AlphaROC conducted a survey of 1,000 U.S. adults on behalf of the Independent Center and Independent Center Voice from Sept. 25–28, 2026. All interviews were conducted online. Survey invitations were distributed randomly, with demographic balances aligned to general population benchmarks. The margin of error is ±3.1 points for the full sample and larger for subgroups. Figures are unweighted.
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