Last November, we released our Endorsement Guide -- a handbook to help Indivisible groups make political endorsements up and down the ballot in both general elections and primaries. Groups quickly used this guide to develop their own systems for identifying progressive candidates and making exciting endorsements. In Illinois and California, our Indivisibles took the lead in the primary process; in New York, they waged (and won!) tough fights to oust the IDC; and in Florida and Massachusetts, groups gave vital support to progressive challengers who were fighting to change what’s politically possible.

We launched our national endorsement program in March to elevate local endorsements and bring attention to progressive candidates and the work Indivisible groups are doing to support them. And after five rounds of announcements hundreds of nominations from across the country, we now have a final slate of 64 endorsed general election candidates.

So much hard work and commitment went into this process -- from nominating and organizing around grassroots candidates, to voting in your local group’s processes, and finally to running direct voter contact efforts to support our endorsed candidates. Thank you!

Part of what makes this endorsement program so important to us is that it reflects where Indivisible stands in the larger electoral landscape. Yes, we endorse to retake power, but more strategically we endorse to:

• shift the national debate
• strengthen and expand our movement
• put entrenched power structures on notice that their time is limited
• help candidates push harder and rise higher than they otherwise might.

We accomplished that in the primaries and, with your help, we’ll do the same in the general election too.

Indivisible is committed to making government more diverse and progressive than ever before, and together we’re going to build lasting power by electing this inclusive and historic slate of incredible leaders.

Here’s our final list of candidates for 2018!

Why Our Endorsement Process Stands Out

Maybe you nominated a candidate, voted in an endorsement round or… are hearing about our endorsement program for the first time. No matter what, we want to lift up what we think are some standout qualities of our endorsement program:

1. Many endorsement programs often (or solely) measure viability by measuring fundraising totals and dynastic connections. We wanted a program that centered people. Having a grassroots-led endorsements program allowed us to support candidates who are part of our constituents-first movement and who are leading with clear values.  
2. We firmly believe every Indivisible deserves to have their voice heard. So our endorsements were driven by and voted on by local Indivisible groups who live in the state or district of the race. We only considered an endorsement after a local group nominated a candidate. After that, it was up to the entire district or state to approve a possible endorsement.
3. Our federal candidates have rejected corporate PAC money. At Indivisible, we adamantly believe that ensuring politicians listen to their constituents over large corporations means candidates must outright (and publicly) refuse corporate money. Our candidates are committed to reducing the influence of corporate special interests that rig the game.
4. Candidates went through a in-depth questionnaire process that vetted their values and commitment to leading on progressive policies. The process is an opportunity for candidates to express what their priorities will be as elected officials and ensures that all candidates are committed to the policies our grassroots movement will demand from a new Congress.
5. We carried out our endorsement process in five waves. This gave local Indivisibles the time and space to understand their candidates’ specific policy goals and organize a robust local candidate selection process before taking their race to the national stage.

And now, after what feels like countless rounds of endorsement submissions, candidate vetting, online voting, and thirteen primary election nights, we’ve endorsed a full slate of 64 IndivisiCandidates for the November election!

Here’s What You Need to Do Next

We’re less than 40 days out from the election. Now that we have our candidates, we must go ALL OUT to elect them -- and achieve grassroots victories across the country. Here’s how you can help:

• Our Voter Registration Weekend of Action was just the beginning! Our days of action are getting bigger and bigger, and every weekend brings us closer to the final push to register as many voters in our community as we can. Talk to your Indivisible organizer about planning your events (and register them on our map here!), and then grab your clipboards (or use TurboVote!) to get out and make some brand-new voters.

• #DoTheWork during our GOTV Kick-Off Weekend of Action from October 19 to 21! We know its only the very beginning of October, but trust us, you’ll want to start preparing now for our GOTV kickoff weekend. We want every single group to hit the ground running -- this is our chance to ensure we bring the #BlueWave to the voting booth! Talk to your organizer to start making a plan.

• Make the most of our Final Four Get Out The Vote from November 3 to 6! This is it. Our last chance to mobilize our communities before E-Day to cast their ballot. More than ever, we need to make this weekend count. Get ready to go BIG and leave it all out on the field!

• Invite your members to help call out the vote! When you’re not knocking doors and hosting events, invite your groups to take part in our national phone bank through Hubdialer! We’ll have shifts for our IndivisiCandidates every single night from now until November -- share our signup page now and invite your group to claim a shift or two!

Time is running out -- there are just 5 weeks until the election, and our slate of endorsed candidates will need our grassroots energy to win these tough races. And while every weekend might not feel like you’ve talked to a bajillion voters, be sure that even a group of two or three canvassers knocking on doors till dark is adding to our momentum.

Those few calls you put in after work and before dinner will matter. And every last minute voter you register through Turbovote is one more voice in chorus with our calls for new leadership.

So show up to an event near you or gather a few friends first and make the party even bigger this weekend. Trust us, it counts.