Vote
Waltham Forward has a goal to enroll 1,000 voters in the Forward Party political designation prior to the 2027 Waltham municipal general election.
If you appreciate what you are learning about Waltham Forward, we kindly ask you to consider updating your registration to the Forward Party political designation.
When can I add a political designation?
You can add a political designation to your voter registration at any time if you are currently registered as unenrolled, dissatisfied with your current political party, or registering to vote in Massachusetts for the first time.
Why should I add a political designation?
In Massachusetts, a political designation lets others in your community (including elected officials) know what you value and support.
Importantly, if just 1% of registered voters in Massachusetts enroll in a political designation, that designation gets promoted to full Political Party status, which provides primary ballot access to candidates running under that designation.
What’s the difference between “unenrolled” and a designation?
In Massachusetts, voters registered as “unenrolled” or with a political designation are treated the same on Election Day.
Both types of voters get to pick which party’s primary ballot to use when checking-in at the polling place or requesting a mail-in ballot. In general elections and preliminary municipal elections, all voters get the same ballot regardless of their political designation.
What do I lose if I leave a major party to join a political designation?
Unless you are (1) a partisan political candidate with an active campaign funded by the party machine or (2) a delegate or officer of the local or state party committee, the practical answer is…
There is nothing to lose!
If you are satisfied with how your current State Party Committee is operating and how your party’s elected officials are acting in office, we are not asking you to change your affiliation. Of course less than 40% of registered MA voters are enrolled in a major party.
As a registered voter in Massachusetts with a political designation, you can still vote in any party’s primary (just like the more than 60% of “unenrolled” voters in the state).
What is the benefit of a political designation being promoted to full political party status?
In Massachusetts, the supporters of a political designation can only formally organize as a “Political Action Committee” (or PAC), which are normally used by lobbyists and special interest groups.
PACs have especially strict annual donation limits compared to recognized political parties ($500 for PACs and $5,000 for Parties), which makes it difficult for “new parties” in Massachusetts to compete.
Aside from money, why does it matter?
Political designations (and the PACs that support them) are unable to participate in the formal primary election process run by local election officials. While we would prefer to have a “single ballot primary” with all candidates from any party (or none at all) determine who ends up on the general election ballot, we understand that in the current election system primaries still matter — offering new candidates a credible venue to introduce themselves to voters.
As flawed as the current party primary system is, in the United States political parties have a significant influence on statewide and national elections. As a result, the distinction between “designation” and “party” demonstrates credibility and unlocks legal avenues for party supporters and candidates to collaborate during elections and while attempting to govern in ways that are prohibited for other organizations.
What if I am a candidate or elected official?
In Massachusetts, the Forward Party welcomes everyone of any party or none at all to join us in supporting “forward values” at the state and local level.
If you are not ready to make the switch now, we still invite you to participate in Forward Party events and the other activities listed on this website. (You just won’t be able to vote in the state conventions or party meetings.)
While the Massachusetts Forward Party PAC is likely to give preference to candidates who formally switch their political designation, it considers endorsement requests from candidates of any party or none at all who are Forward-aligned.
Note: This website is not managed by or funded by the Forward Party or any associated Political Action Committee, so we will not directly receive any information about candidates who use the “Run for Office” form linked above.
If you want to meet folks in Waltham, please also use the Contact form on this website!
Not ready to switch your political designation to the Forward Party yet?
That is no problem at all, you are still welcome to join us in the other activities on this website — and we still encourage you to registered to vote as “unenrolled” or for your party/designation of choice!