CANDIDATE PLEDGE
LIVING OUR VALUES
CANDIDATE PLEDGE
Paying lip-service to a set of values is easy. Living by them is hard.
Forward Party candidates not only espouse the Forward Party’s values but embody them in the way they live their lives, run for office, and govern once elected. Below are statements reflecting your pledge to uphold Forward values and act in a way that demonstrates them.
1. DEMOCRACY ONLY WORKS WHEN PEOPLE RESPECT THE ESTABLISHED RULES AND THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM IS SET UP TO ELEVATE THE VOICE OF THE VOTER
Respect for the Rule of Law and the Constitution
I pledge to ground all of my work in the Constitution and rule of law, accept the results of elections barring contrary evidence verified in a court of law or by a Constitutional officer responsible for election oversight, and ensure all people are equally subject to and protected by the law. This means respecting the confines of my office, partnering with other offices appropriately, following judicial decisions and answering valid subpoenas, supporting due process, and amending laws and constitutions only via defined, accepted mechanisms.
Support and Strengthen Democracy to Elevate the Voters’ Voice
I pledge to support innovations that strengthen democracy and elevate the voice and will of the voters and make elections secure and easy to vote in for all eligible voters, all while striving to represent all of my constituents.
Opportunities to demonstrate these values include:
- Supporting policies such as nonpartisan and open primaries, ranked choice voting, an end to gerrymandering through solutions such as independent redistricting commissions, and term limits.
- Lowering barriers for new political parties and independent candidates.
- Supporting independent (not bipartisan) election enforcement.
2. CANDIDATES SHOULD WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO CRAFT LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO THEIR COMMUNITY’S MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS
Use Data to Drive Collaborative and Effective Solutions, Regardless of their Ideological Source
I pledge to use data to form the basis for determining the effectiveness of proposed solutions, and to make sure policy is enacted only with defined, measurable outcomes defined for the long-term health of our communities.
Build from the Bottom Up, Not the Top Down
I pledge to work for community-oriented, consensus-driven solutions based on communication with my constituents and in concert with any other elected official of any affiliation who is willing to engage on that issue in good faith.
Opportunities to demonstrate these values include:
- Holding regular constituent engagement sessions.
- Establishing and listening to citizen advisory boards.
- Maintaining a public roster of advisors and experts from across the ideological spectrum to provide guidance on legislation.
- Providing an online explanation for all votes.
3. PUBLIC SERVANTS SHOULD BE ROLE MODELS FOR THE COMMUNITY
Treat Everyone with Respect and Dignity
I pledge to approach others with respect for the dignity that lives in each of us. My policies and campaign will seek to elevate and empower people to seek their unique version of the American Dream. This means running a positive, issues-based campaign with a positive vision for my community, and never engaging in personal attacks or threats, or dehumanizing individuals or groups.
Act with Ethics, Integrity, and Compassion
I believe that, as a public servant, I have a duty to act in a way that is beyond reproach. I pledge to conduct myself in a manner consistent with the highest ethical standards.
Opportunities to demonstrate these values include:
- Not trading individual stocks for industries over which you have regulatory power while in office.
- Not taking a position with a lobbying firm for at least 3 years after leaving office.
- Stepping down if convicted of a felony.
- Disclosing conflicts of interest, as well as those of immediate family.