THE COLORADO FORWARD PARTY PLEDGE

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The Colorado Forward Party (FORWARD) is a new kind of political party - with a platform centered on principles & values first, policies second, while modeling innovative ways of restoring the voices and choices of every voter in America. Character matters to us. Putting community, state and country before party matters to us. Empowering independents and the forgotten majority matters to us. Providing more choice of who we vote for and how we vote matters to us.

After meeting with and listening to Coloradans throughout 2023, FORWARD proudly submitted over 17,000 signatures to the Colorado Secretary of State in January 2024, petitioning to recognize us as an official minor party with ballot access across the state. At present, some 50% of Colorado voters are registered as independents, yet the two major parties—each of which constitutes, literally, a minority of voters—continue to dominate the political landscape. We’re here to offer an alternative.

FORWARD is a Different kind of Party

• FORWARD is dedicated to creating a political home for everyone willing to Work Together in good faith to find practical ways to improve this country. No one person or political party has a monopoly on the best public policy proposals. Communication and good-faith negotiations are essential to the legislative process. We welcome new ideas, diverse viewpoints, and fearless conversations around the issues of the day.
• FORWARD candidates, affiliates, and elected officials embrace moderation over polarization, reject extremism, and are willing to compromise.
• FORWARD candidates and elected officials, regardless of political affiliation, will strive to serve the people they represent as their primary purpose. By working together, we will find collaborative, common-sense, community-oriented solutions that strengthen our democracy and improve people’s lives. FORWARD empowers leaders to find solutions that work in their communities.
• FORWARD and FORWARD candidates will build local policy platforms by listening to diverse voices and perspectives. In stark contrast to top-down approaches, we champion local platforms developed organically from the ground up, driven by the invaluable input of communities, individuals, candidates, and elected officials across Colorado.
• As Stewards of Democracy, FORWARD and its affiliates will prioritize long-term visions to prepare society for emerging challenges. We will strive to make decisions that benefit current and future generations.

We believe Ethics and Integrity must be at the forefront of our political activity

• FORWARD and its affiliates will uphold the highest standards of honesty, accountability, and civic responsibility. The public interest must come before party interests. We will support political transparency – disclosing donor sources, limiting lobbyist influence, and revealing potential conflicts of interest. We will be accountable to our constituencies and call out dishonesty and corruption wherever we find it.
• FORWARD and FORWARD candidates abide by the rule of law. We have a judicial system that works, albeit with flaws and imperfections that can always be improved through reform. But our candidates must accept the outcomes of legal elections validated by the courts if necessary. We will be humble winners and gracious losers at times.
• FORWARD staunchly believes that while political parties, citizens, and elected officials should vigorously compete over values, principles, and ideas, we must find common ground to solve problems and pass crucial legislation effectively.
• Facts matter! Facts and objectively examined evidence serve as common ground, allow for constructive debate, and will be the basis of our policy positions. Personal attacks, conspiracy theories, and fearmongering have no place in policymaking.

FORWARD and its affiliates will approach everyone with grace, tolerance and curiosity, finding ways to pick people up rather than knock them down. We encourage citizens to exercise their freedoms in a manner that is respectful of others’ rights. We believe that citizens should be able to participate in our democracy by running for office, holding office, supporting candidates, or advocating for change without fear of being threatened or harassed.

We believe System Reforms are the antidote to the extremism that threatens the very foundation of our democratic processes

• FORWARD candidates will recognize systemic flaws and support reforms to address them.
• FORWARD supports policies that bring more competition and better options to the ballot. We believe that initiatives such as ranked-choice voting, open nonpartisan primaries, and independent redistricting commissions are the keys to improving government outcomes. Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) will remove the “spoiler” effect for minor party and unaffiliated candidates allowing voters to see more options on the ballot. RCV allows voters to express their true candidate preferences while ensuring the winner in a multicandidate race emerges with a majority of votes. RCV may inspire voters to research beyond each candidate’s party affiliation to effectively rank their choices. Independent redistricting emerges as a beacon of fairness, dismantling the gerrymandered barriers that can unduly sway electoral outcomes. Non-partisan primaries cultivate a political landscape where candidates are accountable to the broad electorate. It also allows voters to express their support for the candidates of their choice regardless of party affiliation. FORWARD will always support policies that make it easy for all eligible citizens to vote while maintaining the integrity of elections.

This signed pledge is a tangible expression of commitment to alignment with our shared values. Signing the pledge ensures that everyone involved is dedicated to upholding the principles and priorities that allow diverse opinions to work together to improve our communities, Colorado, and the Country.