An independent is what

An independent voter, often also called an unaffiliated voter in the United States, is a voter who does not align themselves with a political party.

Step-by-step explanation:

An independent voter, often also called an unaffiliated voter in the United States, is a voter who does not align themselves with a political party. An independent is variously defined as a voter who votes for candidates on issues rather than on the basis of a political ideology or partisanship; a voter who does not have long-standing loyalty to, or identification with, a political party; a voter who does not usually vote for the same political party from election to election; or a voter who self-describes as an independent.

Voting systems outside of the United States, including the British parliamentary system, may include independent voters as being "floater voters" or swing votes.