Blog
Introduction
There are plenty of good reasons to run for office as an independent candidate: you can do more of what you believe in, you'll have the opportunity to make history, and you won't have to compromise with anything that goes against your principles.
1. You don't have to be beholden to any party or establishment.
You’re a breath of fresh air in the political arena. You can fight for what voters care about without having to sacrifice your principles.
2. The two-party system is broken, and people are ready for change.
The two major parties have been in a downward spiral for decades, but they’ve finally hit rock bottom. Their leaders are ineffective and corrupt; their policies have failed miserably at fixing our problems; and they both represent an agenda that puts corporate profits before people.
The time has come for something better than this broken system—for an independent candidate who will fight to take back power from the unelected lobbyists who control Congress, empower voters over special interests like big banks and corporations, protect our freedom from government intrusion into our lives, and make sure your voice is heard loud and clear without having to compromise with anyone else’s views in order to advance your own agenda for change!
3. You can do more of what you believe in.
You can run as an independent and focus on the issues that are important to you, your constituents and your community.
For example, if you’re a nurse who believes that universal healthcare is necessary for everyone in America, there is no reason why you should have to compromise on your beliefs just because of party politics. You can run as an independent candidate who will fight for universal healthcare regardless of what party they belong to or how much money they have.
4. You can make a stronger commitment to campaign finance reform.
Campaign finance reform is a big issue. It affects everyone and has been shown to be one of the most important issues for independent voters.
At the state and local level, independent candidates are uniquely positioned to address this issue because they can run without political party affiliation. As an independent, you will have more access to voters who are sick and tired of being controlled by special interests, so you can speak freely about how we can change our campaign finance system from one dominated by large donors into a system that serves everyone equally.
5. You won't have to compromise anything you believe in.
We've all been there: you want to do something, but the other politicians tell you it's impossible or that it will take too much effort. And then, when you finally get what you want, there is no one else who believes in it as much as you do and your work feels meaningless because no one seems to appreciate what it takes for an independent candidate like yourself to make this change happen!
With an independent campaign, there is nothing stopping you from running on a platform that includes things like ending corruption or providing free healthcare for all citizens—and if someone tells you those ideas are too radical or unrealistic, just tell them "I tried".
And if anyone asks why they should vote for someone like yourself instead of those big name candidates, tell them that they need more voices like yours. Remind them that independents have more freedom than any other kind of candidate so they can say whatever needs saying without worrying about whether or not their party will approve of what was said (which usually ends up being nothing).
6. You'll be able to reach out to a larger base of voters.
If you run as an independent, you can speak to the real issues that people on both sides care about. It's not just party die-hards who are interested in what happens on Election Day! Running as an independent will allow you to appeal to more people than just the traditional status quo candidates do. Many Americans feel left out by their political system and no longer trust politicians because they've been let down too many times before; running independently allows you the opportunity for meaningful change for everyone, instead of just one group or another. As an independent candidate, your message will be clear: The time has come for new leadership! If elected, I promise my constituents that I will always put our interests first—not my own career ambitions or those of my party machine (which has become all too common these days).
7. Your success will open up the door for more independent candidates in the future.
Running for office as an independent will not just benefit you, but it will also help other independents in the future. If you have success as an independent candidate, you can be a role model for others and inspire them to run their own campaigns.
You are more likely to win when running as an independent than if you were a member of one major party or another. In the past decade alone there have been many examples of independents winning elections against both major parties: Bernie Sanders (VT), Angus King (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), and Mark Warner (VA). Running as an independent could lead to even more victories in the future!
Your success may encourage other people who share your beliefs to get involved with politics too, which would make our political system better overall because then everyone would feel represented by someone they agreed with on important issues like climate change or healthcare reform instead of just those who belong solely within one particular party's ideology.*
8. You'll be able to stand up for what's right and true instead of what's politically correct.
Being an independent means you don't have to toe the party line—you can say whatever you want, whenever you want, without having to consult with your party first. This allows you to run your campaign how YOU want, not how a national party wants.
And being unorthodox is fun and appealing to regular people. Most independents go out of their way to not do things like "take sides" or "make enemies." They're much more likely than any other candidate type in this country right now (other than maybe socialists) just because they don't have the baggage that comes along with being part of a big political machine like the Democratic Party or Republican Party
9. There is a growing demand for non-partisan office holders at all levels of government.
A recent Rasmussen poll shows that 68% of Americans are fed up with the two party system and would like to see more independent candidates in office. People are tired of the extremes, corruption, polarization and gridlock that has plagued our political system for decades now and want someone who can step in and get things done without having to toe a party line or rely on campaign donations from special interests groups or lobbyists
10. It’s easier than ever before to run as an independent candidate and win.
With the advent of social media, you don’t need a party machine or big donors to get your message out there—you can spread it yourself. And whereas in the past it was difficult to raise the money needed for even small campaigns, online fundraising has made it possible for anyone who wants to run for office (including independents) to be competitive financially with their opponents (often incumbents). Finally, ranked-choice voting allows third-party candidates with broad support from voters (like independents) who might not agree on other positions but share overlapping values or policy preferences—such as stopping climate change or ending corruption in politics—to coalesce behind one candidate rather than splitting their votes among several candidates from different parties who may have similar platforms but lack sufficient support from voters overall. Organizations like Good Party are helping independent candidates take advantage of these changes by providing resources that make running an independent campaign easier than ever before!
11. Running as an independent is growing in popularity
You might be surprised to learn that running as an independent is becoming more popular, not less. In fact, the number of people who identify as independents has increased significantly in recent years—and many younger Americans identify as being politically active but not subscribing to either of the two major parties.
There's also been a strong increase in independent candidates who are winning elections at every level of government: from school boards to state legislatures and all the way up through Congress and even our presidential elections.
So what does this mean for you? It means there's a bigger pool of potential voters than ever before!
12. You can build a coalition of voters from both sides of the political spectrum.
As an independent, you aren't beholden to any party or agenda, so you can reach out to voters who are disillusioned with the system that isn't getting anything done. You can also reach out to voters who are looking for an alternative to politics as usual and will support someone who's not afraid to break from their party line if they feel it's best for their community or country.
14. You'll have the opportunity to make history
There are a lot of reasons why you should run for office as an independent candidate, but this final one is also a great reason: independents still haven't won many major elections. If you run and win, you'll be able to claim your place in history as one of the first people who won without a traditional party structure—and that's pretty cool!
15. You can avoid culture war issues
You may think that some issues are so important and so tied to your values that they have to be addressed by a candidate, but the truth is that most people don't care about those things. They only care about their own lives and what affects them directly. If a candidate talks about something you feel strongly about, great—you can still share your opinion on social media or in private with friends who agree with you—but it's best not to make it part of your public message if it doesn't help win over new supporters.
16. You don't have to cave to special interests or lobbies
As an independent, you can take a stand on issues without worrying about what the party leadership thinks. You can be more flexible and creative in your approach to issues. You can be more honest with voters about your beliefs (and it’s likely that they'll appreciate it). And finally, you can also be open to new ideas from people who might not share your background or experiences—even if those ideas are opposed by your own party!
17. You can position yourself as an alternative to politics as usual
One of the most important reasons you should run as an independent is that you can position yourself as an alternative to politics as usual. Independent candidates have a unique opportunity to position themselves as a change agent, reformer, voice for the people, leader and visionary.
In this day and age of distrust with government officials and elected leaders (and rightly so), independent candidates are often seen as fresh faces untainted by the political system. In many cases, they were not part of the establishment at all prior to their election!
18. You can talk to voters without them making assumptions about your beliefs.
This is a big one! Most people assume that if you're running for office, you're a Republican or Democrat, and that's it—but in reality, there are plenty of independent candidates out there who are neither liberal nor conservative. You may be one of them.
19. You can take stances on issues that fall on different sides of the political spectrum.
As an independent you can pick and choose parts of the two major parties' political platforms. For example, you can support universal health care, but also support protections to the second amendment. Or you can be pro-choice but also advocate for a harder stance on immigration. Essentially, you aren't forced to pick a side on either end of a wedge issue.
20. You can work with Good Party!
You can work with Good Party! Good Party is a non-partisan organization that aims to promote independent and 3rd party candidates to serve the people. Good Party is not a political party, we're a group dedicated to helping you -- an independent-minded person -- run for office, get elected, and stay in office once you've won.
Conclusion
We hope this post has given you some ideas on why it might be a good idea to run for office as an independent. If you're interested in learning more about how Good Party can help, get in touch with our team here.
