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60% OF VOTERS WANT A NEW POLITICAL PARTY.

IF YOU'RE ONE OF THEM,
COME BUILD IT WITH US!

OUR VALUES

We believe everyday Americans should be able to decide what’s best for them and their communities.

That’s why we’re building a party that puts the power back in the hands of the American voter.

RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION

RULE OF LAW

Members of the Forward Party uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and respect the outcomes of our free and fair elections.

SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY TO RESTORE THE VOTERS’ VOICE

SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY

Forward believes that our democracy works only when voters can make informed decisions and our systems are set up to empower and elevate the will of the voters. Elected officials must be accountable to their constituents. ​

AMERICAN LEADERSHIP

AMERICAN LEADERSHIP

It is necessary for America to serve as an example of democracy and individual freedoms. Building alliances and stabilizing democracy across the globe is key to maintaining a safe world for ourselves and our children.

Build from the Bottom Up, Not the Top Down

BUILD FROM THE BOTTOM UP

Forward is building an organization designed to empower voters and local leaders. Forward won’t dictate a rigid, top-down policy platform and expect it to work for every community across the country.

Use Data to Drive Collaborative and Effective Solutions, Regardless of their Ideological Source

USE DATA TO DRIVE SOLUTIONS

Forward cares more about solving problems than being right. Good ideas come from the left, right, and center—or from completely new directions. Data, research, and a commitment to development should drive our discussions, and policy should be enacted with measurable outcomes.

INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP ARE CENTRAL TO AMERICAN CULTURE AND OUR FUTURE

INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

America has long won the global competition for talent and innovation. Our culture of entrepreneurship has constantly improved  living conditions both at home and abroad. The Forward Party is dedicated to ensuring that good new ideas are allowed to thrive.

INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

LIBERTY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND ENGAGEMENT

At the Forward Party, we believe that personal responsibility includes duties to care for our families however we define them, uplift our communities, and contribute to the greater good. It is through balancing our liberty with our duty to others in which the true American spirit thrives.

TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY

RESPECT AND DIGNITY

Forward believes in approaching one another with respect for the dignity that lives in each of us. Our policies and campaigns will seek to elevate and empower people to seek their unique version of the American Dream.

ACT WITH ETHICS, INTEGRITY, AND COMPASSION

ETHICS, INTEGRITY, AND COMPASSION

Forward leaders, members, and candidates are expected to act ethically and with integrity. That said, we are all fallible and make mistakes. At Forward, we are expected to admit them and work to rectify any harm we have caused.

Elected officials

Explore all affiliates and learn more

  • Jim Palmisciano
  • Rhode Island | Richmond Town Council | Candidate | Non-Partisan
  • As an experienced elected member in 2020, Jim hopes to bring his community together and shed light on third parties.
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  • John Curtis
  • Utah | US Senate | Candidate | Republican
  • In the short time he’s been on the Hill, Rep. Curtis has earned a reputation as a problem solver and someone who gets things done. He is noted as the 9th most effective Republican member of Congress.
Read more
  • Nathan Hochman
  • California | Los Angeles District Attorney | Candidate | Independent
  • Nathan is running as a registered Independent in this nonpartisan DA race. He believes the DA should be fiercely independent and base decisions on the evidence and law, not on a political agenda.
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Headshot of Jermaine Johnson
  • Jermaine Johnson
  • South Carolina | State House Dist. 52 | Incumbent | Democrat
  • Jermaine is the primary sponsor of a bi-partisan bill that will allow SC municipalities the option of using Instant Runoff Voting.
Read more
  • Carolina Jewett
  • South Carolina | Charleston School Board Dist | Candidate
  • After attending the College of Charleston, Carolina spent a decade in corporate life with IBM and Boeing. She and her husband, Kevin, are now small-business entrepreneurs
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  • Danielle Chesebrough
  • Connecticut | Stonington First Selectman | Incumbent | Forward Party
  • Danielle remains unaffiliated, running as part of the new Forward party movement, because she believes in their vision to create a political home for anyone willing to work together, in good faith.
Read more
  • Cynthia Borrego
  • New Mexico | State House Dist. 17 | Incumbent | Democrat
  • Cynthia’s priorities for New Mexico include; working to sustain a balanced budget, increasing the number of police, expanding mental health programs, improving children’s welfare and much more.
Read more
  • Lisa Feret
  • Colorado | State House CD-24 | Candidate | Democrat
  • Lisa is a former military police officer and social worker, is running for the Colorado House of Representatives.
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  • Anthony Williams
  • Pennsylvania | State Senate Dist. 8 | Incumbent | Democrat
  • As senator for one of the state’s most populous districts, he serves people of all economic, ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds with sensibility and compassion.
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  • Jordan Marlowe
  • Florida | Mayor of Newberry | Incumbent | Forward Party
  • First sitting mayor to switch party affiliation to Forward Party.
Read more
  • Steve Rao
  • North Carolina | Morrisville City Council | Incumbent | Democrat
  • Steve Sandeep Rao, a native of Charleston, West Virginia, serves as an At Large Council Member for the Town of Morrisville and served as Mayor Pro Tem from 2015- 2017.
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  • William Karspeck
  • Colorado | Mayor of Berthoud | Incumbent | Non-Partisan
  • With experience as a trustee and mayor, he has helped shape Berthoud into a desirable community through regional coalitions, outreach, and advocacy for local needs.
Read more
  • Janie Monier
  • Maryland | FCPS Board of Education | Candidate
  • Monier is a registered nurse running on the belief voter access and choice is the key to building a truly representative government.
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  • Dan Rayfield
  • Oregon | Attorney General | Candidate | Democrat
  • As the Speaker of the Oregon House, Rayfield has worked with Republicans, Democrats, and independents to pass legislation that benefits all of Oregon.
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  • Kevin Shin
  • California | Carlsbad City Council Dist. 2 | Candidate | Non-Partisan
  • Shin served as a member of the Marine Corps for 13 years and wants to make Carlsbad a better place for his two daughters and the rest of his community.
Read more
  • Stephen Richer
  • Arizona | Maricopa County Recorder | Incumbent | Republican
  • Named “Arizonan of the Year” by the Arizona Republic and “Best Republican Politician of the Year” by the Phoenix New Times for upholding the integrity of Maricopa County’s election process in 2020.
Read more
  • Robyn Carnes
  • Colorado | State Senate SD-16 | Candidate — Centennial City Council Dist. 1 | Incumbent | 2022
  • Single party control has made Colorado unaffordable. Robyn will fight against blind loyalty to the political parties and represent everyday Coloradans.
Read more
  • April McClain-Delaney
  • Maryland | U.S. House MD-6 | Candidate | Democrat
  • April brings more than 30 years of experience in Communications Law, Regulatory Affairs, and Public Advocacy to the race for Maryland’s 6th Congressional District.
Read more
  • Phyllis Bernard
  • Washington | Clallam County PUD Commissioner | Incumbent | Democrat
  • Phyllis served under President Reagan, President Bush Sr., and President Clinton aiding decisions made on Medicare & rural health.
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  • Bob Marshall
  • Colorado | State House Dist. 43 | Incumbent | Democrat
  • Bob was a Republican for 30 years before the party left him in the Trump era. He then joined the Democratic party in 2021 and won “Democrat of the Year” in CO in 2022.
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  • Joshua Hernandez
  • New Mexico | State House Dist. 60 | Incumbent | Republican
  • Committed to Building a Stronger New Mexico by Supporting Small Businesses, Fighting For Public Safety, Enhancing Education, and Expanding Healthcare Access. Together, We Can Create a Brighter Future.
Read more
  • Stephen Zappala
  • Pennsylvania | Allegheny County District Attorney | Incumbent | Forward Party
  • During his time as District Attorney, Mr. Zappala has pioneered and led reform to the criminal justice system which has been used across Pennsylvania and the United States.
Read more
  • Amy Roeder
  • Maine | State House Dist. 23 | Candidate |
  • As an adoptive mother, educator, and Bangor resident, Amy Roeder is running to fight for fair wages, affordable healthcare, public education, and a greener future.
Read more
  • Michael Lai
  • California | San Francisco Supervisor Dist. 11 | Non-Partisan
  • Founder of early childhood education company Tinycare. Community organizer and volunteer.
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  • Detra Duncan
  • Colorado | Fountain City Council At-Large | Candidate | Democrat
  • Dr. Detra Duncan earned a doctoral degree in organizational management/leadership, which exposed her to a variety of disciplines in the social sciences, medical sciences, education, and the humanities
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  • Jimmy Figueroa
  • California | Oceanside City Council Dist. 3 | Candidate | Non-Partisan
  • Jimmy is a proven community leader in Oceanside with a long history of fighting for the needs of our residents, neighborhoods and countless families in Oceanside and throughout North County San Diego.
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  • Brian Smith
  • Illinois | Alderman, Carthage City Council, Candidate
  • Brian is a County Lead for Forward Illinois, and was recently selected to join the Carthage City Council.
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  • Tony Hwang
  • Connecticut | State House Dist. 28 | Incumbent | Republican
  • Senator Tony Hwang, representing Connecticut’s 28th District, is an independent leader committed to fiscal responsibility, education, and public safety.
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  • Kathleen Cates
  • New Mexico | State House Dist. 44 | Incumbent | Democrat
  • As a small-business owner, parent, and nonprofit leader, Kathleen Cates is running to advocate for fair representation, community needs, and shared values for District 44.
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  • Seth Bluestein
  • Pennsylvania | City Commissioner | Incumbent | Republican
  • Seth Bluestein has served as City Commissioner – one of three members of the Board of Elections in charge of election operations and voter registration for the City of Philadelphia – since Feb. 2022
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  • Valerie Gaydos
  • Pennsylvania | State House Dist. 44 | Incumbent | Republican
  • Rep Gaydos has passed three bills with nearly 100% support from the full House, two of which she was a prime sponsor on.
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  • Rhonda Fields
  • Colorado | Arapahoe County Commissioner | Candidate | Democrat
  • Senator Rhonda Fields is a prominent figure in Colorado politics, dedicated to advocating for women, families, and our vulnerable communities.
Read more
  • Jonathan Cooper
  • Nevada | N. Las Vegas Justice Court Dept. 2 | Candidate | Non-Partisan
  • “Be Super, Vote Cooper”. A lifelong resident of North Las Vegas, Jonathan is running to be Justice of the Peace.
Read more
  • Steve Eliason
  • Utah | State House District 43 | Incumbent | Republican
  • Steve has been consistently ranked as one of the top five most effective lawmakers in Utah, and his bipartisan reputation continues to make him the best choice to represent his district.
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  • Mike Krachmer
  • Minnesota | Mayor of Vadnais Heights | Incumbent | Non-Partisan
  • Mike’s professional career centered on operational and marketing management roles across many industries. As Mayor of Vadnais Heights he has made the city more equitable, responsive and transparent.
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  • James Kole
  • Maryland | Laurel City Council | Incumbent | Non-Partisan
  • Since moving to Maryland, James has served on the Board of Directors for the MD/DC/VA Landscape Contractors Association as well as a member of the National Collegiate Landscape Competition Committee.
Read more
  • Chris Woodward
  • Pennsylvania | Lower Heidelberg Twp. Auditor | Incumbent | Non-Partisan
  • He ran to be a voice for reasonableness. Chris believes that he owes it to his children and the younger generations to help us break from the duopoly.
Read more
  • Scott Bright
  • Colorado | State Senate Dist. 13 | Candidate | Republican
  • Scott Bright, a 3rd generation owner of a family-run early childhood education business, is running for Senate District 13 to focus on education and child development.
Read more
  • Don Davis
  • North Carolina | US House NC-1 | Incumbent | Democrat
  • In his six terms as Senator, Don has served as a champion for eastern North Carolina, fighting for our rural communities and delivering results for our families.
Read more
  • Lisa Boscola
  • Pennsylvania | State Senate Dist. 18 | Incumbent | Democrat
  • Currently, Senator Boscola serves as the Chair of the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee where she has tirelessly protected consumers from utility rate increases.
Read more
  • Jeni Arndt
  • Colorado | Mayor of Fort Collins | Incumbent | Non-Partisan
  • With deep roots in Fort Collins, Jeni Arndt has served as an educator, Peace Corps volunteer, state representative, and now as Mayor, advocating for education, water, and local community.
Read more
  • Matt Salka
  • Colorado | La Plata County Commissioner Dist. 3 | Incumbent | Democrat
  • Matt Salka is a dedicated public servant with over 10 years of experience as an elected official, currently serving as the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners in La Plata County, Colorado.
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  • Kyle Curtis
  • Washington | Yakima County Commissioner Dist. 2 | Incumbent | Republican
  • As a Yakima County Commissioner and a Yakama Indian Reservation native, Kyle brings his financial background and deep community ties to his work.
Read more
  • Rosemary Lesser
  • Utah | State House Dist. 10 | Incumbent | Democrat
  • Rosemary was a member of the first class of women to be admitted to the University of Notre Dame. After graduation, she was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force.
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  • Lydia Hernandez
  • Arizona | State House Dist. 24 | Incumbent | Democrat
  • Serves as a member of the AZ House and is an at-large members of the Cartwright Elementary School District in Arizona.
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  • Vanessa Grossl
  • Kentucky | State House Dist. 88 | Candidate | Republican
  • Vanessa earned her master’s degree in diplomacy and international commerce and has lived, worked, studied, and traveled in nearly 60 countries around the world.
Read more

BUILDING A PARTY

Hover over your state to learn more about our work there.

Click on it to sign up to learn more from your state party.

WE BELIEVE EVERYDAY AMERICANS SHOULD BE ABLE TO DECIDE WHAT'S BEST

That’s why we’re building a party that puts the power back in the hands of the American voter.

BUILDING A PARTY

NATIONAL SETS PRINCIPLES AND VALUES

STATE PARTIES SET PRIORITIES

STATES USE OUR PRINCIPLES AND VALUES TO WEIGH IN ON LEGISLATION

CANDIDATES TAKE POSITIONS ON POLICIES

VOTERS CHOOSE THE POLICIES VIA A PRIMARY CANDIDATE WHO BEST REPRESENTS THEM

BUILDING A PLATFORM

We believe a Party’s platform should be created by a process that elevates the voice of its membership. 

We are engaged in a process to organize, inform, and then poll Forward members to show which policies are supported.

Sign up now to add your voice to the conversation!

Problems
& solutions

PROBLEM:

VOTING SYSTEMS WITH BAD INCENTIVES


Our current election system creates the partisan division we see today by design. When voters can only pick one or the other, the “other” becomes the enemy. Voters are forced to pick between two bad choices because they’re told that if the other team wins, it’s the end of democracy as we know it. Convincing someone to never vote for your opponent is as effective as getting them to vote for you. Then, when a third option tries to come along and give voters a better choice, they’re a spoiler who will pull votes from the “good” candidate. All of this is caused by our “first past the post” voting system.

SOLUTION:

RANKED-CHOICE VOTING SYSTEMS


  • Implement ranked choice voting in all general elections in the US to eliminate the spoiler effect, and to allow voters to vote their conscience without worrying about wasting their vote.
  • Combine RCV with nonpartisan primaries in a Final Four or Final Five system to further eliminate the negative effects of partisan power on our government.
  • Note that Forward supports other solutions, such as STAR voting and Approval voting. RCV has momentum, but we leave it up to local parties and candidates to decide which reforms are best for their communities.

PROBLEM:

SHUTTING VOTERS OUT OF PRIMARIES


Our current primary system has a number of drawbacks. Partisan gerrymandering has resulted in the vast majority of districts being “safe,” meaning the winner of one party’s primary is the overwhelming favorite to win the general election because of the makeup of the electorate in that district. And since only a small percentage of party voters show up for primaries in those districts, those primary voters get to decide who wins in November. These voters are often the most partisan, meaning the candidate that wins the general election is the one that most appeals to the partisan members of their party.

SOLUTION:

NONPARTISAN PRIMARIES


  • Implement a Final Five Nonpartisan Primary system in as many jurisdictions as possible.
  • Allow all candidates to run together in the same primary, with all voters getting a voice in who will run in the general.
  • Tie this reform together with Ranked-Choice Voting (or a similar voting reform) so that candidates are required to build a broad coalition in order to succeed in the primary and general elections.

PROBLEM:

POLITICIANS CHOOSING THEIR VOTERS


Over 80% of Congressional districts are considered ‘safe’ seats—they are either clearly Republican or clearly Democratic. This reality is why Congress has a reelection rate of over 90% even though its approval rating is in the teens. This mismatch has been purposely engineered through gerrymandering—politicians picking their voters by drawing maps that have a very large share of their party’s voters, instead of voters picking their politicians. When the politicians can choose who gets to vote for them, they can ensure that they will continue to win, even if they’re unpopular. Voters should get to choose who represents them, not the other way around.

SOLUTION:

INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONS


  • Implement independent or non-partisan redistricting commissions in every state.

  • Push for a federal law making redistricting that attempts to “crack” or “pack” voters into districts in order to maximize one party’s power in a state illegal.

THERE ARE OVER 500,000 ELECTED POSITIONS IN THE U.S.

70% OF THEM ARE UNCONTESTED.

The Forward Party is focused on these state and local elections, where extremists too often go uncontested. By running candidates in these races, we can bring real competition to the ballot box for the first time in years.

If you are interested in learning more about running for office, please fill out the form here.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS