Not left. Not right. forward.
Parties shouldn’t dictate policies... Communities should.
Our political system is broken.
Elected officials spend more time campaigning, fundraising, and fighting with each other than they do listening to voters or working together to solve local problems.
60%
OF VOTERS WANT A NEW POLITICAL PARTY.
Forward is the party of local priorities.
We are intentionally moving away from outdated and ineffective one-size-fits-all policy platforms which fail to address the complex and diverse needs of our communities, leaving voices unheard and solutions overlooked.
Maryland Forward Party learns what issues are important to our communities and uses this feedback to guide our top priorities. We then support candidates who acknowledge these issues, who are aligned with our core values, and who commit to community-up problem-solving. Voters then decide which candidates best align with their needs and values.
Maryland Forward Party is different by design.
Together, we’re moving toward a less divided Maryland, collaboratively creating meaningful change as we move NOT LEFT, NOT RIGHT, FORWARD.
All of our candidates go through several stages of interviews, vetting, reviews, and evaluation to be considered for endorsement. We also ask all candidates to commit to our Candidate Pledge. It is how we hold our candidates accountable and clearly outlines the values and expectations that we have for our organization.
Endorsed Candidates
Six months prior to an election, the Board of Directors reviews and evaluates our short-list of candidates, the remaining candidates in the election. From these evaluations, the Board may ultimately vote on formal endorsements of exemplary candidates for exclusive support.
"The Short List"
Maryland Forward per policy does not endorse any candidates until six months before an election (excepting previously endorsed elected officials). We do, however, maintain a "short list" of candidates that we have interviewed, vetted, evaluated, and who have signed our Candidate Pledge. This "Shortlist" helps our members find and connect with the candidates who support our values.
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Tiffany
Kelly
Mayor
City of Gaithersburg
Official Title
Why affiliate with
Maryland Forward Party
Nov 4, 2025
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Harry
Huntley
City Councilmember
Annapolis City Council, Ward 1
Official Title
Why affiliate with
Maryland Forward Party
Nov 4, 2025
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James
Kole
City Councilmember
Laurel City Council, Ward 1
Official Title
Why affiliate with
Maryland Forward Party
Nov 4, 2025
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Kevin
Ford Jr.
Candidate for
Maryland State Senator
District 24
Why affiliate with
Maryland Forward Party
Jun 23, 2026
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Rob
Daniels
Candidate for
County Executive
Baltimore County
Why affiliate with
Maryland Forward Party
Nov 3, 2026
Maryland Forward Party is taking action, and these are our top priorities.
To create truly bottom-up solutions and make sure that that the voices of all Maryland voters are heard, election and voting reform is needed in Maryland. Along with prioritizing local community issues, we support these tools as efforts to support necessary change.
Ranked Choice Voting
Voters who might be happy with several candidates are forced to choose only one. When similar candidates run for office, they can divide support, which often helps someone less popular win, even if most voters preferred someone else. This can lead to frustration, strategic voting, or feeling like your vote doesn’t really count.
Single All Candidate Primaries
In Maryland, about 900,000 registered voters (roughly 1 in 5) can’t vote in publicly funded primaries because they’re not part of the two largest political parties. This leaves many voters out and gives an unfair advantage to candidates in those parties.
Legislative Appointment Reform
About 1 in 4 state lawmakers first got their position through an appointment, not an election. Party leaders can time resignations to fill seats with loyal insiders, shutting regular voters out of the process.
Independent Redistricting Committees
Maryland ranks in the top 5 of worst gerrymandered states in the country. The party in power normally draws new legislative districts in their favor, essentially allowing them to choose voters rather than voters to choose elected officials.
We're not just building a party.
We're building a new political home, a community for all.
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