Originally Posted by pondering_it_all
I wonder if that other 74% of the Independents who failed to vote were progressives who felt Biden and Trump both were too beholding to the rich and corporate donors. Or true conservatives who were too ethical to vote for Trump. That's actually over 29% of the electorate! Enough to throw the race powerfully to either candidate.

Might be interesting for pollsters to ask them. Or maybe they just are morons who don't care or want to avoid jury duty. One of my sister-in-laws uses that excuse.
That's something we'll probably never know. My son now 51 has also never voted. He just doesn't care, he cares more about whether the Pittsburgh Steelers win or lose than who is president. He told me it doesn't matter at all, that the government is going to do what the government wants to do whether the people want them to do it or not. He considers voting a sham, a way to legitimize government doing exactly what it wants. To make the people think they have a voice in government when in reality they don't. So he doesn't sanction it.

Going back through history one finds those who affiliate with both major parties always have 5-8 points more among those who actually turnout and vote than their share of the electorate. Independents usually around 10 points below their share.

2020, independents made up 40% of the electorate buy just 26% of those who voted. That 14 point difference is a record. in 2016 independents made up 40% while making up 31% of those who voted, more normal ratio.

If you think about it, it makes sense that independents don't turnout in the numbers they represent of the total electorate. Republicans and Democrats choose the candidates, independents don't. Republicans and Democrats have a greater stake in the game, race if you will because it's between their chosen horses, candidates.

Independents are asked to choose between two candidates that others have chosen. Those two candidates aren't their horses, they didn't choose them.

It's high past time that we start electing Americans to congress and the presidency who put America first instead of their political party. For way too long we have been electing Republicans and Democrats who happen to be Americans instead of Americans who happen to be Republicans and Democrats.