I Asked Independent Voters If They’re Going With Kamala Harris Or Donald Trump, And The Results Made Me Gasp

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I Asked Independent Voters If They’re Going With Kamala Harris Or Donald Trump, And The Results Made Me Gasp

I Asked Independent Voters If They’re Going With Kamala Harris Or Donald Trump, And The Results Made Me Gasp

Hello, everyone! With less than one month until Election Day, we’re back for another round of BuzzFeed’s 2024 Election Diaries!

This weekly series highlights different groups of voters nationwide to find out what political issues are most important to them AND who they plan to support for president in 2024.

We asked registered independent voters in the BuzzFeed Community to share which candidate they plan to support in the 2024 election and why.

73% of respondents to our poll expressed support for Kamala Harris.

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Scott Olson / Getty Images

While 21% expressed support for Donald Trump.

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Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP News

Whether you agree or not, here’s what 21 independent voters had to say:

All photos are AI-generated for anonymity.

1.“As an independent, I have obviously voted for both Democrats and Republicans, but I’ve also voted for Independents, Greens, and Libertarians. For me, issues are a secondary consideration to the character of the people running.”

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“Once I truly accepted the fact that no two people could possibly agree on every single issue, it became about who I trusted the most. Integrity and consistency of character matter. Harris is not exactly a paragon of truth, but Trump is, at his core, a dishonest person. I have to vote for Harris.”

Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

2.”Still undecided, but the one thing that has been swaying me HARD toward Trump in the past few weeks has been the absolute devastation in Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, etc., from Hurricane Helene. The US has given billions of dollars to other countries (not that they don’t need it) but offered only a small amount to those affected last week. Homes, businesses, possessions, literally everything was swept away. Come on.”

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3.”I don’t align with either party, and I usually don’t care enough to vote because I don’t believe either side will affect my daily life. For the first time, I believe otherwise. Trump is a threat to democracy and brings out the worst in others and our country. I’m not a huge fan of Harris, so my vote is more to block Trump.”

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Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

4.“The economy, female health, and global alliances are my top issues in this election. Harris has the résumé and qualifications to be president. A president should possess intelligence, be of good character, respect all citizens (even those who do not agree with you), preserve and defend the Constitution, and be empathetic in times of crisis.”

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“A president should not be a sexual predator/deviant, lack respect for the rule of law, be petty, petulant and vindictive, and lack honesty. Trump has none of the qualities needed to be president.”

Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

5.”The economy is very important. I started a business in 2015; we are a union company and a B-corp (benefit corporation). Being a responsible company, principle is important to me. My company can and does help employees and our community, but my company cannot survive if the economy is not thriving.”

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“In a thriving economy (which is governed by someone who KNOWS business and can support businesses), those of us with good hearts can do good work in our local communities. That’s what matters most. Harris had three years to help our economy grow, but it has almost ruined my business. As much as I HATE to say it, it has to be Trump.”

Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

6.”I believe both Republicans and Democrats have qualities that I agree and disagree on, and I prefer to stay neutral and make my decisions after I have weighed both options. In this upcoming election, I’ll be voting for Kamala because I lived in Trump’s America, and I was so scared to be Latina and voice my beliefs. Kamala is what I hope the future will be.”

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Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

7.”I’ve been an independent since I first started voting. I’m voting for Harris because she believes in equality and women’s rights. I also believe she has a lot of experience in politics. We need someone who isn’t going to panic and disregard professional medical opinions, as well as someone who respects ALL people.”

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Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

8.”I agree and disagree with the views of both parties, which is why I’m an independent. I believe Donald Trump is the better of the two awful options. I didn’t even get the opportunity to vote for who I wanted as a democratic candidate, so why would I vote for the one forced upon me?”

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Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

9.”I’m an independent after initially being a registered Libertarian. I am open-minded to fiscally responsible and limited government policy. I am not open-minded to Christian Fundamentalism, White Supremacy, and Fascism. If and when the Republican Party disengages from those things in an attempt to govern, I’ll be willing to listen. Until then, miss me with that bullshit.”

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Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

10.”I’m a registered independent because I want to vote for the best candidate based on their record. Not affiliation. Plus, I had a conservative father and a liberal mother. Saving democracy is my most important issue right now, so I’m voting for Kamala Harris. She brings sanity to a crazy train, has an outstanding record of public service, and she doesn’t want to destroy our government. Plus, we need someone younger than Father Time.”

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Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

11.”I bounce back and forth between parties due to the topics and political issues, but my #1 issue this election is border control. I dislike both candidates, but Trump believes in border control, and Harris is weak in this area. I also think that Democrats feel that immigrants will vote Democratic if they allow them into this country.”

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Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

12.”I’m an independent because I prefer moderation and balance, and I don’t want either side to get too extreme. My top issue this election is stopping extremism, namely from Trump and the Republicans. I’m voting for Kamala Harris because I believe Trump is a threat to ethical and democratic values in this country.”

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“He is a narcissist and will drag the entire country down if he doesn’t get what he wants. His economic policies would be worse than Harris’s, and he wants to be a dictator. This election should be a no-brainer.”

Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

13.”I left the Dems in 1997 when the party gave itself totally to corporations. As an independent voter, my top priority this election is killing the MAGA movement, so I’ll be voting for Harris. Since Reagan, this country has been on a steady decline. I’m not at all happy about voting for Harris, but Trump must NEVER be anywhere near the White House.”

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“The first step in eliminating MAGA is to retain the White House and Senate and turn the House blue. I’ve watched Trump operate with impunity for 45 years, and he needs to finally be in prison.”

Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

14.”I believe the major parties are both corrupt, war-mongering corporate puppets. Palestine is my top issue this election, so I’m voting Green because they’re the only anti-war party.”

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Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

15.”I used to be a Democrat, but I changed to independent because the party has gone too radical and is out of touch. The Biden-Harris administration has wrecked the economy and almost killed the American dream. Not to mention, the threat of WWIII has emerged under their administration. Under Trump, the economy was affordable, and we didn’t have the global tensions we do today. Biden and Kamala are for rich people and celebrities.”

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Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

16.”I’m an independent because I vote for issues I feel strongly about, not for a political party. Reproductive rights are my top issue, so I’ll be voting for Kamala Harris. I cannot vote for a misogynist felon who uses elementary school insults against his opponents. Donald Trump does not seek to unite this country with his hate-fueled rhetoric. He only cares for his rich white male cronies and for the power the office of president gives him.”

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Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

17.”I am a free thinker and expect my candidate selection to be open to fresh ideas. I’m voting for Kamala Harris because she is from a middle-class family and understands the needs and wants of the working-class moderate and low-income households.”

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Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

18.”Neither candidate seems like the right choice to address the deep division in this country. I typically don’t vote in presidential elections because my concerns about anti-war policies and term limits for Congress are rarely addressed. However, the economy is a significant concern for me this time, and I don’t believe Kamala Harris’s policies as vice president deserve another four years.”

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“I’m strongly anti-war, and continuing the current foreign policy could lead to escalating foreign conflicts, entrenching the military-industrial complex, and heightening the risk of nuclear conflict. While I don’t expect Trump to fix everything, I believe a change is needed. Additionally, I view Harris’s nomination as undemocratic, given that she never won a single primary on her own.”

Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

19.”I’m an independent voter but have never voted Republican (and almost certainly never will). Harris has my vote, as do Dems all the way down the ballot. I work in public health with a focus on children, and the Republicans are consistently the party supporting and advocating for policies that harm kids and families (e.g., cutting SNAP benefits, defunding schools, banning reproductive health care, etc.).”

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“I’m not a registered Dem because I find the party frustratingly centrist, particularly at the federal level, and too hesitant to push for the radical action we need on issues like climate change and workers’ rights. However, I end up voting Dem every time in the absence of viable third-party alternatives.”

Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

20.”I am typically socially left of center and fiscally right of center. I tend to identify more with Libertarian ideas than either the Republican or Democratic parties, which have become too polarized and unwavering. I was done with Trump after 2020. I have really disliked Biden since the Clarence Thomas hearings, but Trump showed himself to be too abrasive for my taste.”

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“However, after seeing what was done to Trump through the courts, the growing unrest around the world, attacks on free speech and bodily autonomy during COVID by the Biden/Harris administration, and the failures in the economy, I’m ready to take abrasive. We’ve seen what Trump and Harris can do as leaders, and I just don’t trust Harris. She never gives clear answers and seems to be trying to be whoever she needs to be depending on her audience. At least Trump is the devil we know.”

Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

And finally…

21.”I’ve been voting since the ‘80s, voted for both sides at different times, and this is probably going to be my most difficult vote to cast. I don’t trust Trump, but I also don’t believe Harris is capable. It’s really turning into a ‘lesser of two evils’ for me, but casting a vote in that fashion disturbs me as well. I honestly don’t know what to do, and I have about 30 days to figure it out. I really wish Biden had continued his campaign.”

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Michaela Bramwell / Meta Imagine

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and we’ll see you for the next round.

All responses have been edited for length/clarity.

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