Opinion

Independent authors cover the political spectrum and perspectives. Authors share their opinion on a wide range of topics on local, state, and national issues. Articles in this category express the opinions of our contributors, not IVN as a whole.

Trump to Noem: You're Fired

When threat levels are at their highest due to the situation in Iran, President Trump ousted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at 1:40 p.m. March 5 in a Truth Social post and named Republican U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma as her replacement.

By Cara Brown McCormick

/ 5 Mar 2026

Why Neither Side Wants the Truth About Voter ID

Voter ID is treated like a five-alarm fire in American politics. That reaction says more about our dysfunctional political system than it does about voter ID itself.

By Steve Peace

/ 6 Feb 2026

Why Neither Side Wants the Truth About Voter ID

How the Republicans' FCC Rules Will Make Partisanship Even Worse

Picture a partisan political federal referee standing just offstage of the iconic Saturday Night Live set, just before it's taping before a live audience at 8pm, stopwatch in hand, deciding who belongs in the political conversation and who does not.

By Cara Brown McCormick

/ 29 Jan 2026

How the Republicans' FCC Rules Will Make Partisanship Even Worse

Gallup: Independent Voters Hit 45% – So Why Does the Political Establishment Keep Pretending They Don’t Matter?

Gallup released its latest identification numbers, and independent voters are now 45%. Nobody disputes the data. But there are competing opinions as to what the data means.

By John Opdycke and Paul Rieckhoff

/ 28 Jan 2026

Gallup: Independent Voters Hit 45% – So Why Does the Political Establishment Keep Pretending They Don’t Matter?

Partisan Elections Are America’s Greatest Hypocrisy – Maine Can Lead the Way Out

Kyle Bailey, a former Maine state legislator and Maine’s leading major election reformer, had an excellent op-ed in the Portland Press Herald in 2025. In that piece of commentary, “How we do elections matters,” Bailey celebrates the value of ranked choice voting to Maine and urges its expansion to s

By Joe Pickering

/ 27 Jan 2026

Partisan Elections Are America’s Greatest Hypocrisy – Maine Can Lead the Way Out

Gavin Newsom, Ben Shapiro, and Donald Trump Finally Agree on a Major Voting Rights Issue

If you asked Gavin Newsom, Ben Shapiro, or Donald Trump whether they put voters first, all three would say yes. They would say it confidently. They would say it sincerely. But they aren’t being honest with themselves, or you.

By Chad Peace

/ 20 Jan 2026

Gavin Newsom, Ben Shapiro, and Donald Trump Finally Agree on a Major Voting Rights Issue

Americans Hate Gerrymandering. This New Party Hack Can Defeat It

In 2024, measures for statewide election reform failed in all eight states where they were on the ballot. Despite growing support for competitive elections, these initiatives unraveled as the result of pushback from the political establishment. The major parties only agree to oppose any measure impe

By Tom Joseph

/ 11 Dec 2025

Americans Hate Gerrymandering. This New Party Hack Can Defeat It

Remembering Bob Foster

Independent Voter News is saddened to share the passing of Bob Foster, a trusted advisor to the Independent Voter Project and a longtime friend of our organization. He died on Sunday at the age of 78.

By Cara Brown McCormick

/ 4 Dec 2025

How Prediction Markets Bring Real Independence to Political Commentary

Does a loudmouth in your family believe that AOC is on track to be the 2028 Democratic nominee or that Trump will be impeached by Christmas? Prediction markets tell very different stories.

By Christopher Gerlacher

/ 4 Dec 2025

How Prediction Markets Bring Real Independence to Political Commentary

Is Politico's Gerrymandering Poll and Analysis Misleading?

Politico published a story last week under the headline “Poll: Americans don’t just tolerate gerrymandering — they back it.” Still, a close review of the data shows the poll does not support that conclusion. The poll shows that Americans overwhelmingly prefer either an independent redistricting proc

By Cara Brown McCormick

/ 25 Nov 2025

Is Politico's Gerrymandering Poll and Analysis Misleading?

Cabinet on the Clock: How Four Top Officials Can Win Back Public Trust

The honeymoon is over. A new national survey from the Independent Center reveals that a plurality of American adults and registered voters believe key cabinet officials should be replaced—a striking rebuke of the administration’s current direction.

By Brett Loyd

/ 13 Nov 2025

Cabinet on the Clock: How Four Top Officials Can Win Back Public Trust

After Prop 50, the Mission Is Clear: We Need Fair Maps in Every State

Gerrymandering has long eroded the competitiveness, representativeness, and accountability of our democracy. But in recent years, the problem has entered a dangerous phase — one in which both parties see no option but to fight with every weapon they can find.

By Kevin Johnson and Joe Cerrone

/ 6 Nov 2025

After Prop 50, the Mission Is Clear: We Need Fair Maps in Every State