In Maryland, ‘Independent’ and ‘Unaffiliated’ have different meanings.
I was always an ‘Independent’, until the state decided to clarify this. ‘Independent’ is now construed to mean affiliated with the American Independent Party, or any of possibly tens of others, while ‘Unaffiliated’ means no party at all.
Unaffiliated voters like me cannot vote in primaries in Maryland.
In our RED county in Maryland, the primary is when our votes count the most. I think we have four candidates for County Executive on the Republican side - none on the Democrat side. Whoever wins the primary, will win the general.