Independent Voter

What Independent Voter does

Independent Voter News (IVN), also doing business as Independent Voter Network, is a US-based nonpartisan nonprofit news and commentary platform founded in 2006 and operated by a seven-person team alongside the affiliated Independent Voter Project (IVP) and Foundation for Independent Voter Education. Its core product is ivn.us, a Ghost-CMS-based publication that has produced more than 14,000 articles over 15 years covering election reform, primary systems, ranked choice voting, gerrymandering, and independent voter rights; secondary products include the weekly Independent Voter Podcast (distributed via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube), educational explainers such as "How Do Primary Elections Work?," and an open contributor platform governed by IVN's proprietary four-rule Editorial Etiquette Framework (no personal attacks, no self-promotion, substantiated sources, no performance-based generalizations).

The platform positions itself as a deliberately cross-partisan venue: content is accepted from contributors across the political spectrum, the organization publishes work that disagrees with its own positions, and it does not endorse candidates. Distribution is freemium — all articles, podcasts, and community features are freely accessible to readers, who may optionally create free accounts, submit articles, or donate; there are no subscription tiers or paid products. Revenue is donation-supported, and the organization directs joint advocacy efforts with a coalition of election reform stakeholders including Open Primaries, Forward Party, American Promise, Unite NY, the Coalition for Healthy Democracy, Election Reformers Network, Independent Veterans of America, Better Choices, and Grow Democracy DC, with a notable 2026 launch of the More Choice California cross-partisan coalition.

The IVP-related entities have an advocacy track record dating to California's Proposition 14 Top Two primary (2010) and San Diego's Measure K (2016), led by President of IVC Media Chad Peace. The addressable market is unusually large for a niche outlet: a January 2026 Gallup survey found a record 45% of Americans identify as political independents, including 56% of Gen Z and 54% of millennials, while more than 16.5 million independents remain barred from taxpayer-funded closed primaries in 16 states. IVN competes in editorial positioning rather than commercial scale; there are no disclosed funding rounds, parent companies, or investor backers, and revenue figures are not publicly reported.

Name

Independent Voter

Legal name

Independent Voter News

Website

https://ivn.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Independent Voter News (IVN) is a US-based nonpartisan nonprofit news platform (founded 2006, 7 staff) that publishes articles, a weekly podcast, and educational resources on election reform, primary systems, and independent voter rights for America's ~45% independent electorate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonpartisan Political News and Election Reform Media

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Political & Public Affairs Channels (MPABAIAC), News Magazine & Investigative Journalism Channels (MPABAIAG), Electoral Support & Election Observation (BPADAGAA)

Keywords

• Nonpartisan political journalism
• Election reform news
• Independent voter coverage
• Primary election analysis
• Civic education media

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Member Support: IVN solicits donations from readers and members. The homepage features a prominent 'Donate' button, and the organization states it has been defending and fighting for the voting rights of independent voters for 20 years, suggesting sustained donor support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Independent Voter News (IVN) is a nonpartisan news media platform that publishes editorial articles, legal analysis, and podcasts on election reform, primary election systems, ranked choice voting, gerrymandering, and ballot access. It operates as an open publishing platform for independent-minded journalists across the political spectrum, bound by an editorial etiquette framework rather than ideology. Content is freely accessible to all readers with no paid subscription tiers.

Product overview

Independent Voter News (IVN) operates as a nonpartisan news media platform focused on independent voters and election reform. The core offering consists of the IVN news publication, which publishes articles and analysis on primary elections, ranked choice voting, gerrymandering, and ballot access issues. The organization also produces The Independent Voter Podcast, a weekly show featuring conversations with political strategists and reformers discussing election systems and voter rights. Additional offerings include educational resources like the primary election explainer and an open contributor platform that publishes work from writers across the political spectrum.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Independent Voter News (IVN) Publication A nonpartisan news and editorial publication focused on election reform, primary systems, independent voting rights, and political system analysis. Publishes articles, commentary, and investigative reporting on topics including open primaries, ranked choice voting, gerrymandering, and ballot access. Free to all readers.
• The Independent Voter Podcast A weekly podcast featuring conversations with political strategists, reformers, and independent-minded voices discussing election systems, primary reform, and voter rights. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms.
• Primary Elections Educational Resource An in-depth legal analysis and explainer article providing a comprehensive breakdown of primary election systems, including partisan vs. nonpartisan primaries, open and closed access models, ballot options, and constitutional considerations.
• IVN Contributor Publishing Platform An open publishing platform that allows independent-minded journalists and contributors from various political perspectives to submit and publish articles on election systems, political reforms, and institutional analysis, subject to IVN editorial etiquette guidelines.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record 45% of Americans identifying as independents in 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Foundation for Independent Voter EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelated nonprofit organization focused on voter education. IVN links to independentvoterfoundation.org as part of its organizational ecosystem.
• Independent Voter Project (IVP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIVP is the organizational force behind IVN, focusing on election reform legal work and advocacy. IVP has authored initiatives like California's Top Two primary (Prop 14, 2010) and San Diego's Measure K. IVP conducts polling on independent voter issues and engages in legislative advocacy.
• Independent Voter Network (IVN)coreOthersIVN is the media arm of the Independent Voter Project, operating as an open platform for nonpartisan political journalism focused on election reform and independent voter issues.
• Open PrimariesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIVP/Open Primaries collaboration on polling and advocacy for open primary elections. Joint polling efforts include NYC Democrat registration survey. Open Primaries President John Opdycke appears on IVN content discussing primary system reform.
• Forward PartyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as one of 10 organizations independent voters should watch. Forward Party is building an alternative to the two-party system and opposes gerrymandering efforts from both parties.
• More Choice CaliforniamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-partisan coalition launched in May 2026 to defend California's nonpartisan Top Two primary system against repeal efforts by Democratic and Republican operatives.
• Coalition for Healthy DemocracyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeads the All-Party Primary (APP) initiative in Massachusetts. IVN publishes coverage of the coalition's reform efforts including guest commentary from coalition founder Danielle Allen.
• Election Reformers NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization advocating for voter-centric democracy. Kevin Johnson, ERN Executive Director, wrote commentary on Massachusetts primary reform that was republished on IVN.
• Independent Veterans of AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded and led by Paul Rieckhoff, IVN frequently features commentary and data from this organization on independent voter issues and closed primary exclusion.
• Better ChoicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElection reform organization advocating for ranked choice voting with consensus tabulation methods. IVN covers Better Choices' work on Condorcet-based voting systems.
• Grow Democracy DCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization founded by Lisa Rice focused on election reform in Washington DC. IVN podcast featured Lisa Rice discussing her experience quitting a party and losing voting rights.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• RepresentUs: RepresentUs is a nonprofit anti-corruption and election reform advocacy organization. It is comparable as a coalition-style reform partner whose advocacy IVN regularly covers and amplifies through its platform.
• Issue One: Issue One is a nonprofit cross-partisan group focused on reducing political corruption, money in politics, and election reform. It is comparable as a reform-advocacy peer whose work on redistricting, lobbying, and ethics overlaps with IVN's coverage areas.
• FairVote: FairVote is a nonprofit election reform organization that promotes ranked choice voting and other electoral reforms. It is comparable as a reform-advocacy partner organization whose work frequently appears on IVN and shares overlapping goals around primary and ballot reform.
• Open Primaries: Open Primaries is a nonprofit reform organization advocating for open and nonpartisan primary elections. It is comparable as a direct IVP/IVN coalition partner whose polling and advocacy regularly appear on the IVN platform.
• Common Cause: Common Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization promoting government accountability, voting rights, and election reform. It is comparable as a long-standing reform advocacy organization whose work overlaps with IVN's editorial coverage.

Direct peers

• The Fulcrum: The Fulcrum was a nonprofit news outlet covering democracy reform, election administration, and good governance. It is directly comparable as a small nonpartisan news brand focused on the same election-reform beat that IVN covers.
• Ballotpedia: Ballotpedia is a nonprofit digital encyclopedia covering U.S. elections, candidates, ballot measures, and election administration. It is directly comparable to IVN as a nonpartisan, online-first information source on election systems, primary rules, and reform.
• VTDigger: VTDigger is a nonprofit online news outlet covering Vermont state government and politics. It is comparable as a donor-supported, digital-first nonprofit newsroom serving an engaged politically active audience, scaled similarly to IVN.
• OpenSecrets: OpenSecrets is a nonprofit research group tracking money in U.S. politics, providing data, analysis, and journalism on campaign finance. It is comparable to IVN as a nonpartisan political transparency outlet serving policy professionals and engaged citizens.

Broad incumbents

• ProPublica: ProPublica is a large, Pulitzer-winning nonprofit investigative newsroom. It is comparable as a broader nonprofit news organization operating with donor funding and editorial standards, though it covers all beats rather than specializing in election reform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ivn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtT3loFk1B2BC3R3R31TI3w
• Facebookfacebook.com/IVN
• TikToktiktok.com/@ivn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/independentvoter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Independent Voter