Nonpartisan vs. independent — what is the difference?
2 min read · Last reviewed
People use these two words interchangeably, but they mean different things. An independent candidate has political views. A nonpartisan organization does not take sides.
Independent
An independent candidate is a candidate who is not running under a party label. Independents have political views — sometimes strongly held ones. They are not "in the middle" by definition; they just are not running as a Democrat or a Republican.
Nonpartisan
A nonpartisan organization does not take sides in elections. It does not endorse candidates or parties. Its job is to help voters find and understand information, not to tell them how to vote.
Where Guide the Vote fits
Guide the Vote is nonpartisan. We do not endorse, oppose, or rank candidates. Every candidate for the same office gets the same profile shape, the same rows, and the same standards.
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