New data show 45% of U.S. adults identified as political independents in 2025, a record high compared to the 43% measured in 2024, according to a Gallup poll published Monday.
Gallup’s annual party identification survey largely attributed the shift to Generation Z and millennials who are increasingly rejecting traditional party labels. The findings are based on interviews of 13,000 U.S. adults throughout the year.
The statistic comes as both the Republican and Democratic parties saw their base identification drop to 27% each, marking a continued erosion in direct affiliation with the two major parties.
Younger generations are driving much of the increase as they continue to identify as independents at higher rates as they get older. Conversely, older generations of the public are more likely to identify with a party.
A disproportionate 56% of Gen Z refer to themselves as independents, while only 27% identify as Democrats and 17% as Republicans.
Millennials show a similar trend with 54% identifying as independent, 24% as Democrats, and 21% as Republicans.
Unlike older generations, such as the Silent Generation and baby boomers, who historically align with parties as they age, younger people are maintaining or even expanding their independent status as they age.
While a large share of the electorate identifies as independent, 20% are Democrat-leaning and 15% are Republican-leaning.
When including these leaners, the Democratic Party holds an overall 5-point advantage heading into the 2026 midterm elections, its first such edge since 2021.
The high rate of people identifying as independent reflects a broader dissatisfaction with the status quo. In a September 2025 survey, 62% of U.S. adults said the two major parties do such a poor job that a third major party is needed.
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The third-party sentiment is strongest among independents, with 74% favoring a third-party option.
Despite this, only 15% of people say they are “very likely” to actually vote for a third-party candidate.
