The best way to beat Donald Trump in 2020 is with a bold vision of a nation that works for the many, not just the few. We need a leader who will inspire, excite, and move voters to the polls. Someone who will fight for the undelivered promise of a country where everyone can thrive and find happiness. Where we can all be free.
Over the last few months, the Working Families Party has engaged in a deliberative process with our members and leaders to make an endorsement in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary election. Read more below to learn more about our endorsement process.
WFP 2020 Endorsement Process
Step 1: The Candidates
On June 18th, the Working Families Party released our candidate questionnaire and notified all the presidential campaigns. WFP's leadership has reviewed those questionnaires as well as the records and positions of the candidates. Based on that review, they invited the following candidates to proceed to the next round of the endorsement process: Cory Booker, Julián Castro, Bill de Blasio, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren.
Step 2: Promotion
Political campaigns are the most difficult type of marketing to pull off, but they can also be some of the most rewarding. Campaigns usually last for months and require a great deal of work on behalf of the candidate.
A campaign is always an exhausting process, but it will pay off if you're able to keep your supporters engaged by coming up with creative ideas that promote your candidacy.
Tips for managing a successful campaign
- Build a strong team - You need people who share your vision and want to help you achieve success so look for good workers who have experience in campaigning.
- Keep it simple - Find out what works best for you and don't try anything new
- Plan ahead- Make sure all necessary tasks are done
The vinyl film on cars has been a big trend recently and it makes for a great campaign promotion idea. It's not too expensive and can be done with any car using a heat gun for vinyl wrap.
Best of all, the vinyl film is removable so if your political promotional efforts don't work out, you can remove it without damaging the paint or leaving behind adhesive residue.
Step 3: Deliberation and Debate
Next, the candidates had the chance to make their case directly to WFP’s grassroots members.
WFP2020 Live Q&As with the Candidates
Each of the candidates invited to apply for the Working Families Party endorsement was given the opportunity to make their case directly to WFP supporters during an online Live Q&A.
Five candidates participated in our online Live Q&As from August 13th- 27th, with WFP members and supporters across the country participating in person, at house parties, and through livestreams that received over half a million views. Those five candidates — Cory Booker, Julián Castro, Bill de Blasio, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren — proceeded to the next stage of our endorsement process.
Step 4: The Vote
Now that all the debating and deliberating is done, it’s time to make a decision. Our endorsement process will give equal weight to our grassroots membership and to our national leadership.
From September 9th-15th, we’ll be holding our official vote for the Working Families Party’s 2020 presidential endorsement.
Here’s how the vote will work:
1. The Working Families Party National Committee — which includes representatives from WFP state chapters and local branches as well as national progressive and movement leaders — will comprise 50% of the total vote share.
2. Current WFP members and grassroots supporters will also receive 50% of the total vote share. A WFP member is anyone who pays dues of $10/month or $120 in the past year. A WFP supporter is anyone who has previously engaged with us and signed up to WFP's email or text list. You must be a current Working Families Party member or supporter as of Monday, September 2nd, 2019 to participate in this vote. All WFP supporters who are not dues-paying members had the opportunity to participate by signing up to affirming our values before September 6th.
Ranked Choice
The endorsement vote will be conducted using ranked-choice voting.
Here’s how it will work: Everyone who votes will rank their candidate preferences from 1st to 5th. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the total vote on the first ballot, the bottom-ranked candidate will be eliminated and all of their votes re-allocated to each voter’s second choice. The process will repeat until one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold and wins.
Final Step: Endorse
Whoever wins will get a stamp of approval from one of the most effective progressive political organizations in the country. They’ll get the benefit of campaign muscle in key primary states, an army of passionate volunteers ready to oust Donald Trump and build an America that works for the many, not the few.
Once we make a decision together, WFP members can count on hearing from us about lots of ways to get involved.
Text WFP to 738674 to join the Working Families Party and receive the latest updates!
Questions? Learn more about the Working Families Party here or contact us here.
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