Populace Primaries

Since 1970, confidence in Congress has dropped from 40 percent to just 9 percent today. Sixty-nine percent of the country is dissatisfied with how the nation is being governed and 80 percent of the public characterizes the government’s inability to solve national challenges as a ‘major problem’ or a ‘crisis.’

In the past 20 years, we have given both parties full control of our federal government and every combination of divided power, yet nothing changes. The nation’s problems have only gotten more dire. Our institutions, our parties, and our leaders need an intervention.

After years of research, discussion with experts, and careful study of past elections, we have developed a strategy that relies only on the faith that there are enough citizens who care about their country that they are willing to engage. We don’t need millions of dollars, changes in election laws, or rewriting the constitution. We only need your primary election vote.

Primary elections

With the increased sophistication of gerrymandering, congressional districts are being shaped in ways to ensure general election races are decided before you vote. Out of 435 congressional districts, only 23 percent of seats were deemed competitive in the last election cycle.

Once the nominees were set, there was little left to determine. In most cases, your choice has already been made for you.

This means that although we had record-breaking turnout during the general election, a vast majority of the country had no real choice in deciding who would represent them in Congress.

By time candidates have made it the general election, they have run a gauntlet of special interests and donors. These groups — increasingly from all parts of the country — care little for your district. They are intent on building a majority in Congress to support their specific issues at the expense of everything else.

Your vote

Our goal is to make your vote count again. If the choice has been made before the general election, we will meet them in their own primaries. We will target the most Democratic and Republican districts, with the least effective legislators.

With your vote and a small group of your civic-minded neighbors — less than 10 percent of a district — we will build a coalition that crosses party and political ideology to advance candidates who have shown civic virtue and are loyal only to you.

Our Future

Implementing this strategy in 100 districts will build a coalition strong enough to disrupt all of Congress. No speaker can be elected nor legislation passed without our votes. Think of what a hundred civic-minded, virtuous leaders unencumbered by party leaders could accomplish.

Starting with your vote, this could be our reality.