Voters across the country went to the polls on November 3, 2026 in a midterm election cycle defined in part by a record number of candidates running outside the two major parties. Nearly 200 independent candidates competed in House and Senate races this cycle, roughly 80 more than in 2024, and that surge did not happen in a vacuum. Gen Z is the most independent generation America has measured. 32% identify as pure independents, the highest share of any age group, and nearly half see independents as offering a "new perspective" rather than spoiling elections. That shift isn't apathy. It's happening alongside a record overall share of independents nationwide, and it helps explain why this election cycle looked different than the ones before it.
32% of Gen Z identify as pure independent, the highest of any age group, and nearly half see independents as offering a "new perspective" rather than acting as spoilers. Millennials and Gen X also show significant openness to split-ticket voting and more ballot choices, while Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation remain more tied to the two-party system.
Source: The Independent Center, 2025 Generational Survey (September 2025).
Gallup found that a record-high 45% of Americans identified as independents in 2025, the largest share since Gallup began tracking the measure. The generational data suggests that growth is being driven disproportionately by younger voters rather than spread evenly across age groups.
Source: Gallup (2025).
This cycle saw one of the largest fields of independent congressional candidates in recent memory, spread across more than 100 House and Senate races in over 40 states. Analysts covering the race pointed to the same generational pattern behind it: younger voters are rejecting formal party identification at higher rates than older generations, and that trend is expected to keep shaping who runs, not just who wins, in cycles beyond 2026. Final, certified results from the November 3 election are still being counted in many of these races as of this writing, and this piece draws no conclusion about any individual contest's outcome.
Source: Newsweek analysis of independent candidate filings (July 2026); The Nation (August 2026).
Gen Z and Millennials emphasize jobs, affordability, education, and social reform, while older Americans focus more on immigration, national security, and government spending. The outlook gap is stark: 51% of Gen Z expect to be better off next year, compared to just 21% of Baby Boomers. Despite the differences, healthcare ranks as the top personal concern across every generation, and a majority across age groups favor reforms that emphasize compromise over partisan flip-flopping.
Source: The Independent Center, 2025 Generational Survey (September 2025).
What share of Gen Z identifies as independent?
32%, the highest of any generation measured in the Independent Center's 2025 generational survey.
Does this mean younger voters are disengaged from politics?
No. Nearly half of Gen Z sees independents as offering a "new perspective" rather than as spoilers, which suggests the shift reflects a demand for different political options, not apathy.
What do younger and older independents have in common?
Despite different top-of-mind issues, healthcare ranks as the top personal concern across every generation, and most favor compromise-driven reform over partisan flip-flopping.
Does the Independent Center take a side in how different generations vote?
No. The Independent Center's research tracks how independence is changing across generations, not which party or candidate younger or older voters should support.
Did this generational shift decide the 2026 midterms?
That isn't something this piece can answer. Results from the November 3, 2026 midterms were still being certified in many races as of publication, and the Independent Center takes no position on individual race outcomes. What's established is that a record number of independent candidates ran this cycle, and that younger voters are the generation most responsible for the long-term rise in independent identification.
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