About the Swing Voters project

Some people identify strongly with political parties. But many don't. They're often referred to as "swing voters" because they choose candidates, not parties. One election they may vote for a Democrat. The next they might choose a Republican.

Minnesota Public Radio News has identified 15 swing voters to help us watch the campaigns between now and November. Our aim is to provide insights into what issues and positions are resonating with folks in this all-important bloc of voters.

We assembled the group by first soliciting insights from a much larger group of self-identified centrists who are part of our Public Insight Network.

We then narrowed the group to those who voted for candidates in different parties in previous elections, and whose views don't necessarily fit well within the traditional party platforms.

Each week we will ask these swing voters to analyze debates, respond to news events and provide their insights into the campaigns as the Nov. 7 election nears.