In politics, an independent is a politician who is not affiliated with any political party. Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person A political party is a Political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within Government, usually by participating in electoral In countries with a two-party system, independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between the two parties, they may hold an extremist viewpoint that goes beyond that of either major parties, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they don't feel either party addresses. A two-party system is a form of Party system where two major Political parties dominate voting in nearly all Elections at every In Politics, centrism usually refers to the political ideal of promoting Moderate policies which land in the middle ground between different political extremes Extremism is a term used to describe the actions or ideologies of individuals or groups outside the perceived political center of a society or otherwise claimed to violate

Australia

Independents have rarely been elected to the federal Parliament of Australia, although they tend to be more common in state parliaments. The Parliament of Australia or Commonwealth Parliament is the legislative branch of government of Australia. A large number of independents are former members of one of Australia's main parties, the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia or the National Party of Australia. The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party. The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party. Currently, two independents sit in the Australian House of Representatives: Tony Windsor from New South Wales and Bob Katter from Queensland. The House of Representatives is one of the two houses (chambers of the Parliament of Australia; it is the Lower house, the Upper house being the Senate Antony Harold Curties "Tony" Windsor (born 2 September 1950) Australian politician has been an independent member of the House of Representatives Robert Carl "Bob" Katter (born 22 May 1945) is an Australian federal politician Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent A third, Peter Andren, decided to leave his seat of Calare to run for the Senate at the 2007 general election, before being diagnosed with cancer. Peter James Andren AM ( 28 August 1946 &ndash 3 November 2007) was an Australian politician The Division of Calare is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. Federal elections for the Parliament of Australia were held on Saturday 24 November 2007 after a 6-week campaign in which 13 He later passed away on November 3, 2007, 21 days prior to the election. Events 644 - Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Muslim Caliph, is killed by a Persian slave in Medina. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[1] In the past, independent senators such as Brian Harradine have had considerable influence in the Senate. Brian Harradine (born 9 January 1935) Australian Politician, was an independent member of the Australian Senate from 1975 to 2005

Following the 2007 federal election, Tony Windsor and Bob Katter retained their seats, while Nick Xenophon was elected to the Senate. Federal elections for the Parliament of Australia were held on Saturday 24 November 2007 after a 6-week campaign in which 13 Nicholas (Nick Xenophon, originally Nicholas Xenophou, (born 29 January 1959 in Adelaide) is a South Australian barrister anti-gambling The Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. Independent Senators are quite rare.

Canada

Independent politicians have held considerable sway in the Canadian House of Commons in recent years as Canada has been governed by successive minority governments with independent Members of Parliament (MPs) holding the balance of power. The House of Commons (Chambre des communes is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and A minority government or a minority cabinet is a Cabinet of a Parliamentary system formed when the governing Political party or A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. In Parliamentary politics the term balance of power sometimes describes the pragmatic mechanism exercised by a minor Political party or other grouping whose guaranteed

In the 2004 federal election, Chuck Cadman was elected to federal parliament as an independent MP representing the British Columbia riding of Surrey North. The Canadian federal election 2004 (more formally the 38th General Election) was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Charles "Chuck" Cadman ( February 21, 1948 &ndash July 9, 2005) was a Canadian politician and Member of British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C A riding is an administrative jurisdiction or electoral district particularly in several current or former Commonwealth countries Surrey North is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since Cadman had previously represented that riding on behalf of the Reform Party of Canada and Canadian Alliance, but after the Canadian Alliance merged with the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada to form the new Conservative Party of Canada in 2003, Cadman lost the nomination to represent the Conservative Party in that riding to Jasbir Singh Cheema. The Reform Party of Canada ( Parti réformiste du Canada) was a Canadian federal Political party that existed from 1987 to 2000 The Canadian Alliance (in French Alliance Canadienne) formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance (or in French Alliance réformiste-conservateur The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ( PC) ( Parti progressiste-conservateur du Canada) ( 1867 – 2003) was a Canadian The Conservative Party of Canada ( Parti conservateur du Canada) colloquially known as the " Tories " is a conservative Jasbir Singh Cheema is a Canadian television personality and politician Cadman then stood in the subsequent election as an independent and defeated Cheema, as well as the candidates of other Canadian parties, by a significant margin.

In the spring of 2005, Cadman cast the tying vote in favor of a budget supported by the Liberal Party government of Paul Martin as well as the New Democratic Party (NDP), but opposed by the opposition Conservatives and Bloc Québécois. The Liberal Party of Canada ( Parti libéral du Canada) colloquially known as the Grits (originally " Clear Grits " is a major Canadian political Paul Edgar Philippe Martin. PC, MP (also known as Paul Martin Jr Principles policies and electoral achievement The NDP grew from populist, agrarian and democratic socialist roots The Bloc Québécois ( BQ) is a federal political party in Canada that defines itself as devoted to both the protection of Quebec's interests on a federal Two other independents also voted on that budget. Carolyn Parrish, independent MP for Mississauga—Erindale, had recently been kicked out of the Liberal Party for criticizing Prime Minister Martin but nonetheless sided with the Liberals on the budget vote. Carolyn Parrish BA, BEd (born October 3, 1946 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian Politician Mississauga—Erindale is a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House David Kilgour independent MP for Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, had previously quit the Liberal caucus and voted with the opposition parties against the budget. The Honourable David Kilgour, PC, BA, JD, DD (born February 18, 1941 in Winnipeg Manitoba) is a former Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont (formerly known as Edmonton—Beaumont) is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has The tie vote required the Speaker of the House Peter Milliken to cast the deciding vote, and he did so in favor of the budget, allowing the government to survive. In Canada the Speaker of the House of Commons ( French: Président de la Chambre des communes) is the presiding officer of the Peter Andrew Stewart Milliken, MP (born November 12, 1946) is a Canadian lawyer and politician

Cadman was terminally ill with cancer at the time he cast his crucial vote, and he died later in 2005. Cancer (medical term Malignant Neoplasm) is a class of Diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled In the 2006 federal election, his riding was won by NDP candidate Penny Priddy. The 2006 Canadian federal election (more formally the 39th General Election) was held on January 23 2006 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the Penny Priddy (born March 5, 1944 in Toronto, Ontario) is a politician from British Columbia, Canada. Neither Parrish nor Kilgour (nor Pat O'Brien, MP for London—Fanshawe, who quit the Liberal Party to sit as an independent after the 2005 budget vote) stood for re-election in 2006. Patrick Wayne "Pat" O'Brien MEd, BA (born January 13, 1948) is a former member of the Canadian House of Commons. London—Fanshawe is a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons However another independent candidate, André Arthur, was elected in the Quebec riding of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, and was the only independent to win a seat in that election. André Arthur MP (born December 21, 1943 in Quebec City) is a Canadian Radio host and Politician. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier (formerly known as Portneuf) is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in The overall election was won by the Conservative Party, but with another minority. The combined Conservative and NDP seats in parliament currently amount to 154 out of a total of 308, meaning that if the Conservatives and NDP vote together, Arthur too may find himself holding the balance of power.

Ireland

After the Irish general election in 2007, there were five Independent Teachtaí Dála (Members of Parliament) in Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Irish parliament). The Irish general election of 2007 took place on 24 May 2007 after the dissolution of the 29th Dáil by the President on 29 April 2007 at the request of A Teachta Dála (ˈtʲaxtə ˈdɑːlə is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Oireachtas (Parliament of the Republic of Ireland. ga '''Dáil Éireann''' ( English House of Representatives of Ireland) is the principal chamber of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament This is 3% of the total, 4 of these Independents signed agreements to support the current Irish government. 27th Government of Ireland The 27th Government of Ireland (14 June 2007 – 7 May 2008 was composed of Fianna Fáil, the Green Party and the Progressive One of them subsequently re-joined the main government party of Fianna Fáil. Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach shortened to Fianna Fáil ( is currently the largest Political party in the There are 7 Independent Senators in Seanad Éireann (the upper house of the Irish parliament). Seanad Éireann (ɕan̪ˠad̪ˠ erʲan̪ˠ English Senate of Ireland) also known unofficially as the Senate, is the Upper house of the Oireachtas In countries where multi-seat, single transferable vote constituencies exist, independents are more common. Single transferable vote (STV is a preferential Voting system designed to minimize Wasted votes and provide Proportional representation

Niue

In Niue, there have been no political parties since 2003, and all politicians are de facto independents. Niue (niːˈʔuːeɪ/ /ˈnjuːeɪ in English is an Island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The Niue People's Party (also known as the Niue People's Action Party was a Political party in Niue. The government depends on an informal coalition.

Poland

Polish Sejm election ordination in practice does not allow lone candidates to run. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Tickets always have multiple candidates as every district is represented by multiple Sejm Members. Hence, almost all tickets are partisan. However, during a Sejm term many Sejm Members switch parties or become independents.

Tickets like Civic Platform during the 2001 election were formally non-partisan, Civic Platform was widely viewed as a de facto political party, as it is now. Civic Platform ( Platforma Obywatelska, PO is a Christian-democratic and liberal-conservative Polish political party. Polish parliamentary election in 2001 to Sejm and Senate of Poland were held on the 23rd September.

The situation in the Senate is different, as the voting system allows independents to run as single candidates and some are elected in their own right. The Senate ( Senat) is the upper house of the Polish Parliament.

Three Presidents since 1990 have technically been independents. The President of the Republic of Poland ( Polish: Prezydent Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, shorter form Prezydent RP) is the Polish Head of Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Lech Wałęsa was not an endorsed candidate of any party, but the chairman of the Solidarity and he was elected without full support of this union (Solidarity votes split between him and Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki). The Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland represents the Council of Ministers (the Cabinet and directs their work supervises territorial self-government Tadeusz Mazowiecki (taˈdɛuʃ mazɔˈvʲɛʦkʲi born April 18 1927 in Płock) is a Polish author journalist social worker and politician formerly one of the Aleksander Kwaśniewski was a leader of the Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland, but formally resigned from the party after he was elected (however he was still close to the party), as Lech Kaczyński, who was the first leader of Law and Justice, did after he got elected. Aleksander Kwaśniewski ( born November 15 1954 is a Polish politician who served as the President of Poland from 1995 to 2005 Socjaldemokracja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (SdRP was a Social democratic political party in Poland created in 1990 shortly after the fall of Communism ˈlɛx alɛˈksandɛr kaˈtʂɨɲskʲi (born 18 June 1949 is the President of the Republic of Poland a politician of the conservative party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość Law and Justice ( Prawo i Sprawiedliwość, PiS is a Polish political party.

Philippines

Noli de Castro, the Philippines' current Vice President ran as senator in 2001 with no political party affiliation. Manuel Leuterio de Castro Jr (born July 6, 1949) better known as Noli de Castro, is a Politician and former broadcast journalist in the The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The Vice President of the Philippines is the second highest executive official of the Philippine government Legislative elections and local elections were held in the Philippines on May 14, 2001. He was an adopted candidate of the opposition Pwersa ng Masa coalition but he never joined their campaign rallies. He won in the senate race with the highest votes (then) in Philippine history.

In most recent history, popular independent Philippine politicians include Senator Antonio Trillanes IV (former Oakwood mutiny leader) and Pampanga Governor Eddie "Among Ed" Panlilio. The Senate of the Philippines ( Filipino: Senádo ng Pilipínas) is the upper chamber of the bicameral Legislature of the Philippines, the Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV (born August 6, 1971 in Manila, Philippines) is a currently detained Senator of the Republic of the Philippines The Oakwood mutiny occurred in the Philippines on July 27, 2003. Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Eddie "Among Ed" Tongol Panlilio is a Filipino Roman Catholic Priest who was elected as the

United Kingdom

Independent Members of Parliament were once frequently elected in Britain (List of UK minor party and independent MPs elected), but they have been much rarer in the last half-century. This is a list of members of the United Kingdom House of Commons who were elected as an independent or as a member of a minor political party

Clare Short was elected as a Labour MP in 2005 UK general election but on 20 October 2006 resigned the Labour Whip although she is intending to attempt to remain a member of the Labour Party. Clare Short, PC, MP, (born 15 February 1946 is a British politician and a member of the British Labour Party. Results Overview For events leading up to the date of the election see article Pre-election day events of the United Kingdom general Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[2]

Two independent MPs were elected in the 2005 UK general election: Peter Law (MP for Blaenau Gwent), who died on April 25, 2006, and Richard Taylor, sole MP of the Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern party (for the Wyre Forest constituency). Results Overview For events leading up to the date of the election see article Pre-election day events of the United Kingdom general Peter John Law ( 1 April, 1948 &ndash 25 April, 2006) was a Welsh Politician. Blaenau Gwent is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Richard Thomas Taylor, MP, FRCP (born July 7, 1934) is an English doctor turned politician Independent Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern (often known by the shorter name Health Concern) is a Political party based in Kidderminster, Wyre Forest is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Dr Richard Taylor's election to Parliament is most notable for the fact that he is the only independent in recent times to have been re-elected for a second term. Since Peter Law's death, the by-election has yielded another independent MP - Dai Davies. David Clifford Davies, commonly known as Dai Davies, (born 26 November 1959 is the Independent MP for Blaenau Gwent. News reporter Martin Bell was elected as an Independent MP for Tatton from 1997 to 2001 having stood on an anti-corruption platform. Martin Bell, OBE, (born 31 August, 1938) is a British UNICEF Ambassador a former broadcast war reporter and former independent politician Tatton is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

The UK House of Lords includes a large number of independent peers, who are usually known as crossbenchers. The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" In certain legislative assemblies, especially those which are based on the Westminster system, a crossbencher is a member of the assembly who is a member of neither

The introduction of directly elected mayors in several parts of the UK saw the election of independent candidates to run councils in Stoke-on-Trent, Middlesbrough, Bedford, Hartlepool and Mansfield. Stoke-on-Trent ( often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city in Staffordshire, England which forms a linear Conurbation almost 12 miles (19 Middlesbrough ( IPA ( Received pronunciation) is a Town in the Tees Valley sub-region of the North East of England Bedford is the County town of Bedfordshire, England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the Bedford borough Hartlepool ('hɑːtlɪpuːl is a North Sea port in North East England Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the County, lying on the River Maun, from which the name of the town The first Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, was originally elected as an independent having run against the official Labour candidate Frank Dobson. The Mayor of London is an elected politician who along with the London Assembly of 25 members is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London (see Kenneth Robert Livingstone (born 17 June 1945 is a British Socialist Politician. Frank Gordon Dobson (born March 15, 1940) is a British Labour Party Politician. He was subsequently re-admitted to the Labour Party before his first re-election campaign. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the

Independent candidates frequently stand and are elected to local councils. There is a special Independent group of the Local Government Association to cater for them. The Local Government Association is a body for advancing the interests of local authorities in England and Wales The LGA has its Head Office at Local Government

Independent candidates frequently stand in parliamentary elections, often with platforms about specific local issues, but usually with little success. A typical example from the 2001 general election was when Aston Villa supporter Ian Robinson stood as an independent candidate in the Sutton Coldfield constituency, in protest at the way chairman Doug Ellis ran the club. Results |} Total votes cast 26368204 All parties with more than 500 votes shown Sutton Coldfield is a Borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Herbert Douglas Ellis OBE (born 3 January 1924 in Hooton Cheshire, England) is an Entrepreneur, best known as the former chairman of Another example, in the Aldershot constituency, of an independent candidate is King Arthur Pendragon - a notorious local who walks around town in long white robes with a long grey beard and a sword he claims to be Excalibur. Aldershot is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

At the 2003 Scottish Parliamentary elections, three MSPs were elected as Independents: Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West), Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) and Margo MacDonald (Lothians). The Scottish Parliament election 2003, was the second General election of the Scottish Parliament. Member of the Scottish Parliament ( MSP) ( Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ( BPA) in Gaelic) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected Dennis Canavan (born 8 August, 1942, Cowdenbeath) is a Scottish politician and was an Independent Member of the Scottish Falkirk West is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) Dr Jean McGivern Turner (born December 23, 1939 in Glasgow) is a former Independent Member of the Scottish Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) Margo MacDonald MSP (born 19 April, 1943) is a Scottish politician a Member of the Scottish Parliament and a former Member of the Constituencies and council areas The City of Edinburgh and the West Lothian council areas are entirely within the region In 2004 Campbell Martin (West of Scotland region) left the Scottish National Party to become an independent and in 2005 Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) left the Conservative Party to become an independent. Campbell Martin, born 10 March 1960 is a Scottish politician A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP he was elected to the Scottish Constituencies and local government areas In terms of first past the post constituencies the region covers Election results 2007 Scottish Parliament The Scottish National Party (SNP (Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba Scottis Naitional Pairtie is a Centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish Brian Monteith, born on 8 January 1958 is a Scottish Politician, who was a Member of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 until 2007 Constituencies and council areas The constituencies were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of Westminster constituencies as existing in at that time The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. At the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary elections Margo MacDonald was again returned as an independent MSP. The 2007 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Scottish Parliament

Other independent candidates are associated with a political party and may be former members of it, but are not able to stand under its label. For instance, after being expelled from the Labour Party but before joining the Respect Coalition, British Member of Parliament (MP) George Galloway described himself as "Independent Labour". The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the Respect – The Unity Coalition is a Left wing political party in England and Wales founded on 25 January, 2004 in London. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. George Galloway (born 16 August 1954 in Dundee) is a Scottish Politician, author and talkshow host noted for his Left-wing views confrontational style

A third category of independents are those who may belong to or support a political party but believe they should not formally represent it and thus be subject to its policies. This was common among members of most political parties for the purpose of British local government elections until the last quarter of the twentieth century. Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a State.

Some independents in the United Kingdom have registered locality-based political parties. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located UK examples include Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern, Epsom and Ewell Residents Association, Derwentside Independents and those local residents' or ratepayers' associations that contest elections. Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern (often known by the shorter name Health Concern) is a Political party based in Kidderminster, Derwentside Independents are a Political party in the United Kingdom registered in 2001. They are usually considered independent as they have no alignment in national politics.

United States

Recent prominent independent candidates for President of the United States include John Anderson in 1980, Ross Perot in 1992 and Ralph Nader in 2004 and 2008. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by John Bayard Anderson (born February 15 1922 is an attorney and former United States Congressman and Presidential candidate The United States presidential election of 1980 featured a contest between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent Ronald Reagan Henry Ross Perot (born June 27 1930 is an American businessman from Texas, who is best known for seeking the office of President of the United States in The United States presidential elections of 1992 featured a battle between incumbent President, Republican George H Ralph Nader (born February 27 1934 is an American Attorney, Author, Lecturer, political activist, and independent candidate for President The United States presidential election of 2004 was held on Tuesday November 2, 2004, to elect the President of the United States. The United States presidential election of 2008, scheduled for Tuesday November 4 2008 will be the 56th consecutive None of them were successful. Historically, George Washington was the first and only elected independent President, as he was not formally affiliated with any party during his two terms, though the Pro-Administration Party formed around supporters of his administration and quickly morphed into the Federalist Party. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the Pro-Administration "Party" is a term used by historians to describe the supporters of the policies of George Washington's administration — especially Treasury The Federalist Party (or Federal Party) was an American political party in the period 1792 to 1816 with remnants lasting into the 1820s

John Tyler was expelled from the Whig Party in September 1841, and remained effectively an independent for the remainder of his presidency, later becoming a Democrat. John Tyler Jr (March 29 1790 January 18 1862 was the tenth President of the United States (1841-1845 and the first ever to obtain that office via succession The Whig Party was a Political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. He briefly sought re-election in 1844 as a National Democrat, but withdrew as he feared to split the Democratic vote. The United States presidential election of 1844 saw Democrat James Knox Polk defeat Whig Henry Clay in a close contest that turned on foreign

Maine, Oregon and Texas are the only states in American history that have elected formally independent candidates as governor: James B. Longley in 1974 and Angus King in 1994 and 1998 from Maine, Julius Meier in 1930 from Oregon, and Sam Houston in 1859 from Texas. The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. James Bernard Longley ( April 22, 1924 &ndash August 16, 1980) was an American politician Angus S King Jr (born March 31, 1944) served two terms as an independent Governor of Maine from 1995 to 2003 Julius L Meier ( December 31, 1874 - July 14, 1937) was a businessman in Portland Oregon, and independent Governor of Oregon Samuel Houston ( March 2, 1793 July 26, 1863) was a 19th century American statesman politician and soldier Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. is sometimes mentioned as an independent governor, though this is not technically correct; he ran as A Connecticut Party candidate (which gave him better ballot placement than an unaffiliated candidate would receive), defeating the Democratic and Republican party nominees. Lowell Palmer Weicker Jr (born May 16, 1931) is an American Politician who served as a U A Connecticut Party was a party formed by former Republican Senator and gubernatorial candidate Lowell P Another former governor who is sometimes mentioned as an independent is Jesse Ventura, who actually ran as a member of the Reform Party before later founding and switching to the Independence Party of Minnesota. Jesse Ventura (born July 15, 1951 as James George Janos) also known as "The Body", "The Star", and "The The Reform Party of the United States of America (abbreviated Reform Party USA or RPUSA, generally known simply as the Reform Party) is a Political The Independence Party of Minnesota (often abbreviated MNIP, IP or IPM) formerly the Reform Party of Minnesota, is the third largest

There have been several independents elected to the United States Senate throughout history. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Notable examples include David Davis of Illinois (a former Republican) in the nineteenth century, and Harry F. Byrd, Jr. of Virginia (who had been elected to his first term as a Democrat) in the twentieth century. David Davis ( March 9, 1815 &ndash June 26, 1886) was a United States Senator from Illinois and Associate justice The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. Harry Flood Byrd Jr (born December 20, 1914) is an American Politician. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Some officials have been elected as members of a party but became independent while in office (without being elected as such), such as Wayne Morse of Oregon or Virgil Goode of Virginia. Wayne Lyman Morse ( October 20, 1900 – July 22, 1974) was a United States Senator from Oregon from 1945 until Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Virgil Hamlin Goode Jr (surname rhymes with mood, not would) born October 17, 1946, is an American politician and a Republican The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Vermont senator Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party to become an independent in 2001. Vermont ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. James Merrill "Jim" Jeffords (born May 11, 1934) is a former U Jeffords's change of party status was especially significant because it shifted the Senate composition from 50-50 between the Republicans and Democrats (with a Republican Vice President, Dick Cheney, who would break all ties in favor of the Republicans), to 49 Republicans, 50 Democrats, and one Independent. In Politics, the term party-switching refers to any change in party affiliation of a partisan public figure usually one currently holding elected office The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. __FORCETOC__ For the Vice President of the United States, their roles and other information see Vice President of the United States. Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney (born January 30 1941 is the forty-sixth and current Vice President of the United States. Jeffords agreed to vote for Democratic control of the Senate in exchange for being appointed chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and the Democrats held control of the Senate until the Congressional elections in 2002, when the Republicans regained their majority. The United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is responsible for dealing with matters related to the environment and infrastructure The 2002 United States Senate election featured a series of fiercely-contested elections that resulted in a victory for the Republican Party, which gained two seats and Senator Jeffords retired at the end of his term in 2007. Wayne Morse after two years as an independent became Democrat, while Goode switched to Republican.

Representative Bernie Sanders was an independent member of the United States House of Representatives for Vermont-at-large from 1991 to 2006. Bernard "Bernie" Sanders (born September 8, 1941) is the junior United States Senator from Vermont, elected on November The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. The US state of Vermont has been represented in the United States House of Representatives by a single at-large Congressional district since the Bernie later won the open Senate seat of Jim Jeffords, as an independent. James Merrill "Jim" Jeffords (born May 11, 1934) is a former U Joe Lieberman a former Democrat who ran like Lowell P. Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman (born February 24 1942 is the junior United States Senator from Connecticut. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Weicker, Jr. under a third party (Connecticut for Lieberman Party) in the 2006 election after losing the Democratic primary to Ned Lamont. Connecticut for Lieberman is a Connecticut political party created by twenty-five supporters of Senator Joe Lieberman. Edward Miner "Ned" Lamont Jr (born January 3, 1954 Though both representatives are technically independent politicians, they caucus with the Democrats.

In 1971, State Senator Henry Howell of Virginia, a former Democrat, was elected lieutenant governor as an independent. Henry Evans Howell Jr ( September 5, 1920 - July 7, 1997) Nicknamed "Howlin'" Henry Howell, was an American The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Two years later, he campaigned for Governor as an independent, losing the election by only 15,000 votes. The Governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term

In 2006, there were 7 major independent candidates for statewide office including successful runs for the U. S. Senate by Bernie Sanders and Joseph Lieberman. In Maine, state legislator Barbara Merrill (formerly a Democrat) made the gubernatorial ballot, while retired college professor Bill Slavick ran unsuccessfully for the U. The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean Barbara Merrill (born 1957 in Frankfurt Germany) is an American politician from Maine. Bill Slavick (born 1928 is a peace activist who ran for the U S. Senate. In Massachusetts, wealthy convenience store owner and former Massachusetts Turnpike Authority board member Christy Mihos ran for Governor. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. A convenience store is a small store or shop. They are often located alongside busy roads or at gas/petrol stations. The Massachusetts Turnpike (commonly shortened to the MassPike or The Pike) is the easternmost 138-mile (222 km stretch of Interstate 90. Finally, in Texas, country music singer and mystery novelist Kinky Friedman and State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn both ran for Governor splitting the ballot four ways between themselves and the two major parties. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. Detective fiction is a branch of Crime fiction in which a Detective (or detectives either professional or amateur investigate a crime usually Murder Richard S "Kinky" Friedman (born October 31 or November 1 1944 is an American Singer, Songwriter, Novelist, Humorist, A comptroller or controller (kənˈtroʊlər ˈkɑmˌtroʊ- also financial controller, abrv Carole Keeton Strayhorn (born September 13, 1939) is the former Texas state Comptroller of public accounts a position that now includes most

As of April 2007 at the state level, there were eleven people who held offices as independents in state legislatures. There were three state senators, one from Kentucky, one from Oregon, and one from Tennessee. The Kentucky Senate is the Upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Oregon State Senate is the Upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U The Tennessee Senate is the Upper house of the Tennessee state Legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly The representatives came from the states of (2) Louisiana, (2) Maine, (2) Vermont, (2) Virginia. Leadership of the House List of Speakers of the Louisiana House of RepresentativesThe Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives Maine House of Representatives is the Lower house of the Maine Legislature. The Vermont House of Representatives is the Lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U Virginia House of Delegates is the Lower house of the Virginia General Assembly.

On June 19, 2007 the Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, switched his party affiliation from Republican to independent. Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Mayor of New York City is the head of the executive branch of the Government of New York City. Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman and the Mayor of New York City.

References

See also

• Independent (voter)