Can Independent Candidates Win? Examples from the 2025 Elections

For years, conventional wisdom has said that to win an election, you need major-party backing, insider connections, or massive fundraising. Even as the number of Americans who identify as Independent rises, the question has lingered: Can an Independent candidate actually win?

The 2025 election cycle offered a clear answer. Across the country, over 13,000 Independent and nonpartisan candidates won their elections with the help of GoodParty.org’s tools, training, and support.

In this guide, we'll break down where Independent candidates won elections in 2025, how those results compare to 2024, and what these trends mean for anyone thinking about running for office outside the two-party system.

Where Independent Candidates Won Local Elections in 2025

Independent candidates most often win elections at the local level of government. This is in part because the local level is where the majority of elected officials serve, and in part because structural disadvantages continue to impose barriers for Independents competing at the state and federal levels. However, this doesn’t make the impact of locally elected Independents any less significant.

Local government is where decisions about school budgets, roads, zoning, taxes, and public safety are all made. City councils, county commissions, and other local governing bodies set the tone for everyday life in communities across the United States.

In 2025, voters chose Independent leaders to make those impactful decisions — leaders focused on service, transparency, and practical solutions over partisanship.

Here are the five most common offices won by Independent candidates in 2025:

• City Council: 3,525 winning candidates
• School Board: 3,414 winning candidates
• Mayor: 927 winning candidates
• Township Trustee/Official: 853 winning candidates
• Town Council: 661 winning candidates

These numbers reflect a pattern that has been building throughout multiple election cycles. In 2024 as well, the offices of city council, school board, and mayor ranked the highest for Independent wins — a sign that this isn't an anomaly. Voters are consistently choosing Independent candidates when given the opportunity, especially in the local races that most directly affect their daily lives.

The States with the Most Independent Victories in 2025

Independent victories weren’t isolated to any one region or type of community. In 2025, Independent candidates won elections across the Midwest, the South, the Pacific Northwest, and the rest of the country.

Here are the top ten states by total Independent wins in 2025:

#1: Ohio

Ohio led the nation in Independent wins in 2025, with 1,234 winning Independent and nonpartisan candidates. From small townships to cities like Columbus and Cincinnati, voters cast their ballots for community-first leadership in record numbers.

#2: Illinois

Illinois came in second place for the most Independent victories in 2025, with communities electing 1,021 Independents. Candidates won races for a variety of local offices, including village president, township council, and library board.

#3: Minnesota

In 2024, Minnesota led the way with 941 Independent candidates winning elections. In 2025, the state exceeded that number with 1,018 Independent winners.

With a strong tradition of nonpartisan politics, Minnesota remains a stronghold for Independent leadership at the local level.

#4: Washington

Washington’s number of Independent victories increased sharply from 2024, when the state ranked 21st with 22 wins empowered by GoodParty.org.

In 2025, 718 Independent candidates won their elections, including members of Seattle and Spokane’s city councils.

#5: Oregon

Oregon built on its momentum from 2024, when the Beaver State ranked 7th in Independent wins. A total of 624 Independents won elections in Oregon in 2025. These included candidates running for Portland’s city council and local boards.

#6: Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, voters elected 617 Independent candidates. From school board members in Milwaukee and Green Bay to members of the Racine City Council, these local changemakers are now poised to provide real change for their communities.

#7: Iowa

Iowa continued its tradition of electing candidates based on character and connection, not party labels. A total of 583 Independents won elections across Iowa in 2025, including mayoral and city council races.

#8: Texas

In one of the country's largest and most politically diverse states, Independent candidates made meaningful gains in 2025.

Texas voters elected 575 Independents across the Lone Star State. In 2024, by comparison, Texans elected 92 Independents empowered by GoodParty.org and ranked ninth on this list.

#9: North Carolina

North Carolina voters chose community-centered leadership at a growing rate in 2025, with 554 wins compared to 43 in 2024. These Independent leaders include members of Greensboro and Durham’s city councils, setting these cities up for nonpartisan governance going forward.

#10: Michigan

Michigan rounded out the top ten with 504 Independent wins. In 2024, Michigan ranked third in this list with 328 winning Independents. With a multitude of township and village offices up for election, Michigan voters had numerous opportunities to advocate for nonpartisan leadership.

What Current Trends Mean for Future Election Cycles

Over 13,000 people won elections in 2025 without the backing of the Democratic or Republican parties. Thousands of local offices are now held by leaders who earned their seats by connecting with their communities — not through party machinery.

These leaders proved that you don’t have to affiliate with a major party to win an election. Instead, candidates can successfully run on their own platforms and values. They can tailor their campaigns to the specific needs of their communities, rather than dwelling on national party talking points or caving to big money.

The year-over-year growth in Independent wins in states like Ohio, Wisconsin, and Washington shows that this isn't a ceiling being approached. It's a floor being established.

Every council member, mayor, and trustee elected outside the two-party system helps prove that there is another way to run, win, and serve. The answer to "Can an Independent candidate win?" is no longer a matter of debate. It's a matter of record, and the record keeps growing.

GoodParty.org is empowering more Independent victories in 2026, as changemakers across the country step up to run in the midterm elections. With accessible campaign tools and a growing library of free training materials for Independent candidates, we are paving the way for more people-powered wins in the future.

There’s never been a more promising time to explore an Independent campaign for local office.

Photo by David Trinks on Unsplash