It’s been defined a few ways. Based on registration and also self reporting.

Not everything is “pretend” but what you have identified is that all societal rules are participatory algorithms, and that includes money and laws. Money, or really wealth and value, are effectively resource allocation and prioritization algorithms. It’s why the very idea of individuals, or even organizational entities largely decouple from societal benefit, having comparable allocative power to actual societal management structures is batshit absurd.

That’s because in practical reality, there are no independent voters. The vastly overwhelming majority of independents actually vote consistently along party lines.

The ADL has never not been a horrifically shitty organization and has probably done more damage to Jewish culture than any other group in the last 50 years. They’re effectively a bunch of quisling fucks.