unaffiliated

Unaffiliated is an adjective describing a person or entity that is not affiliated with a particular group, organization, or party. It is commonly used to indicate a lack of formal association or alliance with a specific organization.

In politics, unaffiliated often refers to voters who are not registered with any political party. In the United States, many states allow voters to register as unaffiliated or with a designation such as “no party preference.” The status can influence participation in primary elections, as rules vary by state and party. Unaffiliated voters may vote in some primaries, in others they may be restricted or required to choose a party’s primary. The category is closely watched because unaffiliated voters can be swing voters and are sometimes targeted by campaigns with issue-focused messaging rather than party platforms.

Demographic trends show that the share of unaffiliated voters or non-partisan identifiers has grown in several democracies over time. Analysts describe unaffiliated voters as potentially more variable in their preferences, influenced by local issues, candidate quality, and perceptions of governing performance rather than loyalty to a party.

Religiously unaffiliated is a related usage in social science and surveys. It refers to individuals who do not identify with any organized religion, including atheists, agnostics, and those with no declared belief system. The category, often termed “nones,” has risen in various regions and is used to describe attitudes toward religion in surveys and censuses.

See also: independent, no party preference, nonpartisan, unaffiliated organizations.