The Florida Forward Party is gearing up for the 2024 season! Our goal this year? Recruit 50 high-quality, credible candidates throughout the state - running for office at any level - and support their journeys towards electoral success. Through these Florida 50, we intend to demonstrate that a better kind of politics can work in this day and age, and to show our state, and our nation, the incredible impact that empowered problem solvers can have. 

You can read the full press release here. 

Joining the Forward movement is an opportunity to distinguish yourself from politics as usual, and be a part of something truly special.

In many cases, it doesn't require changing parties at all! 

Of course, we love to see careful and informed decision-making from our leaders, and that applies here as well. So when you're done reading about why you should run with Forward, and what our party is looking for in our candidates, we encourage you to reach out to us with any questions that you might have, so that we can get this conversation started. 

Why Join Forward?

• The Forward Promise - Forward is a new kind of party, and at the heart of that is our promise to empower independent thinkers and dynamic solvers to bring their and their constituents' unique voices to the table. This is the Forward Promise, and we believe it is central to our ability to foster better solutions for the challenges that we face. 
  Plus, we don't like being told what to believe, so why should we be telling you what to believe? 
• A Growing Resource Network - Empowering problem solvers at every level means more than just letting them have different beliefs. It also means building up a strong network of tools and support, built up not only through our party but through our many partner organizations dedicated to building a better politics. 
  These resources range from guides and workshops on productive governance, to a network of hundreds of other candidates and elected officials to share insights and ideas. And of course, there are our many supporters, donors, and volunteers, to whom we'll be more than happy to broadcast your message. 
• A Critical Opportunity Ahead - Forward was built on more than just hope and idealism - there's also a shared belief that a different kind of politics genuinely can succeed, and there's no better time for it than now. Even in Florida, with our closed primary structure, over four million voters have chosen not to be a part of either major party, and that number is growing rapidly. Our duopoly isn't doing its job of serving the people, and the people are fed up.
  And so, with a strategic mindset and plan of attack, and with exceptional leaders under our banner (that means you), the possibility is real. With your help, we can move Forward.

What We're Looking For

 Though any voter can legally join our party, those who want to seek our official endorsement and support - including Forward-affiliated Democrats and Republicans - will need to go through a formal evaluation process by our Executive Committee. Here's what we'll be looking for:

• Dignity - Do you consistently demonstrate grace and tolerance when discussing critical matters?
• Humility - Do you appreciate that issues are complicated, do you welcome criticism and debate, and do you utilize data to make informed policy proposals and conclusions?
• Transparency - Are you honest and forthright about voting and governing intentions, and do you make clear the principles and logic that may inform your future decisions?
• Responsiveness - Do you take time to listen to constituents, and create avenues for them to provide input?
• Focus - Are you ready to work with others towards the common ground principles of free people, thriving communities, and vibrant democracy? Do you value solving problems and bringing real results over riling up voters and making ideological statements?

Switch or Affiliate? 

If you're interested in joining our movement as an elected official, you can of course change your party affiliation (though please note that this might affect your eligibility to run if you have an upcoming election campaign). If you do, you'll be making a powerful statement that you're tired of your party's current direction, and that you want to be a part of a powerful new mediating force in our government, committed to empowering problem solvers to solve problems. 

But you don't have to leave your party! By joining as an affiliated Democrat or Republican, you're sending the message that you want to work through your party towards a politics that welcomes new ideas, that works effectively towards solving problems, and that empowers dynamic leadership at every level. Because the reality is that we do need partisans in an effective discourse, to advocate constructively for their values, for their constituents, and for their concerns. We're stronger when we listen to each other and work together, and we salute those politicians - left, right, and anywhere in between - helping to make better discourse happen.  

Ready to Join the Movement? 

If all of the above sounds good to you, and you think you're ready to explore joining the Forward movement as a candidate, party-switcher, or affiliated official, then let's get this conversation started. Send us an email at [email protected], and we'll get back to you within 24 hours with next steps. 

Whether you're a current elected official or a candidate for office, joining the Forward movement is an opportunity to distinguish yourself from the noise and be a part of something truly special. And in many cases, it doesn't require changing your party registration at all - Forward FL endorsements are available to members of any party who are committed to fostering a better politics in our state and our nation.  

We love to see careful and informed decision-making from our leaders, and that applies here as well. So when you're done reading about why you should run with Forward, and we're looking for in our candidates, we encourage you to reach out to us with any questions that you might have, so that we can get this conversation started. 

Before You Begin...

Be sure to check out the Five Keys to Running in Florida, our introductory guide to new candidates, what it means to run, and how Forward and its partner organizations can help. 

Why Run Forward?

• The Forward Promise - Forward is a new kind of party, and at the heart of that is our promise to empower independent thinkers and dynamic solvers to bring their and their constituents' unique voices to the table. This commitment is the Forward Promise, and we believe it is central to our ability to foster better solutions for the challenges that we face. 
  Plus, we don't like being told what to believe, so why should we be telling our candidates what they should think and say? 
• A Growing Resource Network - Of course, empowering problem solvers at every level means more than just letting them have different beliefs. It also means building up a strong network of tools and support, built up not only through our party but through our many partner organizations committed to building a better politics. 
  These resources include powerful data insights on prospective voters in your district, dedicated campaign consulting to help your message make the impact you want it to make, and access to Forward's growing community of volunteers, donors, and supporters.  
  We'll also be connecting you with guides and workshops on productive governance, to the chance to reach out to hundreds of other candidates and elected officials throughout Forward's growing national network to share insights and ideas.
• A Critical Opportunity Ahead - Forward was built on more than just hope and idealism - there's also a shared belief that a different kind of politics genuinely can succeed, and there's no better time for it than now. Even in Florida, with our closed primary structure, over four million voters have chosen not to be a part of either major party, and that number is growing rapidly. The brand of both the Democratic and Republican Parties is becoming more and more toxic, while their candidate quality seems to get lower and lower.
  With a strategic mindset and plan of attack, and with exceptional candidates under our banner (that means you), the possibility is real. We can win critical races, change the way people think about politics, and show the nation what happens when you empower problem solvers to solve problems. With your help, we can move Forward.

What We're Looking For

Though any voter can legally join our party and run, those who want to seek our official endorsement and support - including Forward-affiliated Democrats and Republicans - will need to go through a formal evaluation process by our Endorsement Panel, which will then make a recommendation to our Executive Committee. Here's what we'll be looking for:

• Dignity - Do you consistently demonstrate grace and tolerance when discussing critical matters?
• Humility - Do you appreciate that issues are complicated, do you welcome criticism and debate, and do you utilize data to make informed policy proposals and conclusions?
• Transparency - Are you honest and forthright about voting and governing intentions, and do you make clear the principles and logic that may inform your future decisions?
• Responsiveness - Do you take time to listen to constituents, and create avenues for them to provide input?
• Focus - Do you value solving problems and bringing real results over riling up voters and making ideological statements?

A Very Important Note

While we welcome all capable, committed, and eligible leaders to run for office under our banner, the state of Florida tends to be a bit more strict. If you are thinking of running as a Forward Party member, it is very important to note that you cannot change your party affiliation within one year prior to the start of filing for a partisan office. That means that, if you're running for County Commission in 2024, you can't change your party affiliation after June of 2023 - it's not our favorite rule, but it's the rule, and we don't want anyone to sign up as a member without realizing how it might affect eligibility for partisan office. And remember, you don't need to be a party member to earn our party's endorsement. 

If you're not sure how your target office is affected, please reach out to us! We want everyone to feel as informed and empowered as possible in the democratic process.

Ready to Run? 

If all of the above sounds good to you, and you think you're ready to explore joining the Forward movement as a candidate or affiliated official, then let's get this conversation started. 

Send us an email, and we will work to schedule an initial candidate consultation. We want to know how we can better help you, and to let you know what we can do and what we're looking for. Now let's move Forward together. 

Have you heard the news? The Florida Forward Party is now on Substack, and we're building up a community blog to share thoughts, perspectives, and dynamic ideas from Forwardists around the Sunshine State. There's just one thing missing - you.  

We're collecting blog contributions from volunteers, supporters, and even affiliated candidates and elected officials. They'll be covering a wide range of topics and offering a plethora of perspectives - that's just the way we like it. 

What Makes a Good Forward Blog Post?

• 600-800 well-written words
• Language accessible to different education levels and political / cultural orientations
• A clear focus on a particular political issue or idea 
• A perspective that won't be found in the major party mainstream 
• A focus on effective problem-solving for complicated problems, and not on laying blame and making personal attacks 

If you've got an idea for a blog post, send it (you don't have to send a completed article) to [email protected], and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. If we proceed with publishing it, you'll be given full credit, and we'll even plug your Substack if you have one!