I identify as independent, though the Republican party doesn't offer much for me to agree with these days. I try to vote based on the individual (though, doesn't everyone say that?), but I do tend to support Democrats more than Republicans. Increasingly so right now. For president, there are a number of things to consider, including leadership style (a.k.a. character) and policy positions. For more local elections, I tend to put more weight on policy positions and less on personality traits such as style of leadership.
In this particular election, that means I'm voting for Obama as president, but I am leaning toward my Republican candidate for state's attorney. This is primarily because that candidate supports giving out warnings instead of filing formal charges for possession of drugs in small amounts, which the Democratic candidate is against.
I also try to support third parties when I can.
Put this all together, and it means that I vote for the individual I prefer when I feel sufficiently informed, and that individual does tend to be a Democrat rather than a Republican. If I don't feel informed enough to choose between the Democrat and Republican in a race, then I vote for a third party candidate if there is one available (or if I actually prefer the third party candidate). If there is not a third party candidate available, I either don't vote in the race, or I vote for the Democrat. The reason I sometimes vote for the Democrat rather than not vote at all is because party ID does provide a general indicator of a candidate's platform, and if I feel that the position is important enough that I think it would make a difference to have a Democrat instead of a Republican, then I vote that way. More often than not, though, I just leave it blank.
For judges, I'm lucky enough to have the benefit of a
great site which compiles a number of different bar association recommendations for my area. I only vote in support of those judges which have received a favorable rating from all of the bar associations reported on the site.