Independent voting expert and Forward Board member gave a keynote address, and Wayne Griffin was elected Chair Emeritus
On Saturday, May 4, the South Carolina Forward Party hosted their first convention as a newly recognized political party. The state affiliate of the Forward Party gained this state recognition through a merger with the South Carolina Independence Party. Mirroring the merger of three national organizations to form the current Forward Party, the work to bring these two groups together in the Palmetto State shows Forward’s dedication to finding opportunities to collaborate.
The Chair of the Independence Party of South Carolina was elected Chair Emeritus during the convention. He is also working with the national Forward Black Voters’ Committee to build out an HBCU outreach program, the creation of which was ratified during the state convention.
Jackie Salit, leading expert on independent voters, spoke at the convention about the history of the movement and the opportunities in the state of South Carolina. Ms. Salit was a key figure in negotiating the merger between the two parties.
As a recognized minor party in the state of South Carolina, the registered members were able to weigh in on the slate of candidates. Coming out of the convention, the ratified candidate slate is:
- James Andreen, County Council RC
- Jevona Armstrong, Beaufort City Council #1
- Michael Bedenbaugh, CD 3
- John Delfausse, County Council Lancaster Co
- Jermaine Johnson, SC House District 70
- Bruce Wallace, SC House District 53
The South Carolina Forward Party prioritizes candidates of character over individuals who adhere to a particular party platform. Instead of asking candidates to sign onto a policy-based platform, they are asked to sign onto our values-based platform.
Candidates are asked to pledge to:
- Respect the rule of law and uphold the Constitution
- Support and strengthen democracy and elevate the voice of voters
- Use data to drive collaborative, effective solutions
- Build from the bottom up, not the top down
- Treat everyone with respect and dignity
- Act with ethics, integrity, and compassion
The full version can be read here.