Which term describes voters who have abandoned parties to become independents?

• A. Realignment
• B. Polarization
• C. Voter drift
• D. Dealignment argument

Answer: (D)

Dealignment describes voters who abandon strong party ties and become independents. This captures the trend of declining party identification and more people choosing to not align with a major party, often leading to greater ticket-splitting and variability in elections. It’s different from realignment, which is a lasting shift in the political coalitions and the parties that attract the most support. Polarization centers on growing ideological distance between parties and voters, not necessarily on changing party identification. The term dealignment argument names the theory that party loyalty is weakening and independents are rising. So, when voters abandon parties and become independents, dealignment is the best description.