Restoring Trust in the 2024 Election: A Write-In Revolution
Executive Summary:
As we near the 2024 election, America stands at a crossroads. Millions of citizens are losing faith in our electoral system and questioning whether the two-party structure represents their needs. Both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris embody a political status quo that feels disconnected from the values of everyday Americans. In response, we are calling for something historic: a national write-in campaign, where voters can freely choose their candidate for President—be it John Fial, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, or anyone else. This is a movement to restore trust in democracy, ensuring every vote is counted fairly and giving power back to the people, not political elites. Focused only on the Presidential race, this campaign encourages Americans to reclaim control over the highest office while engaging thoughtfully in state and local elections.
This is not a call for a “protest” vote—it’s a step toward healing the divisions tearing our country apart. By writing in their vote for President, voters can reject the flawed primary system, which unfairly elevates early-voting states and sidelines the rest of the nation. Yes, it will take time to count every write-in vote, but it’s a small price to pay for transparency, fairness, and avoiding the kind of post-election conflict many of us fear.
But our vision extends beyond 2024. This is the start of a series of thoughtful reforms—a national lottery for candidate selection and ranked-choice voting—that can return Presidential power to the American people, and dismantle the stranglehold of party politics. The future of our democracy is at stake, and we must act now to reclaim it and rebuild trust in our government. Together, we can create a fairer, more representative system that honors the will of the people.
Restoring Trust in the 2024 Election: A Write-In Revolution
America stands at a crossroads, where deepening political divides and broken trust in our election system call for bold, meaningful change. As we approach the 2024 election, many Americans are feeling an unprecedented level of frustration with our political system. The cycle of red-blue partisanship has left a deep divide, where the voices of everyday Americans are often drowned out by the noise of party politics. The Biden-now-Harris and Trump candidacies represent a political landscape that feels increasingly disconnected from the everyday needs and hopes of our people. Our campaign, however, is about proposing thoughtful, gradual reforms that can help heal our democracy and bring Americans back together.
The Vision Behind a Write-In Campaign
At its core, any write-in campaign is about giving power back to the people. For too long, the two-party system has dominated American politics, often forcing voters to choose between two candidates who don’t represent their values. We believe that a write-in campaign—where voters can freely choose their candidate for President, whether that’s John Fial, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, or anyone else—offers a real opportunity to break free from this divisive pattern. This campaign is specifically focused on the Presidential race, encouraging a thoughtful and open process for selecting the next U.S. President. We are not calling for write-ins at the state or local level, though we encourage voters to remain engaged in those elections.
The dominance of the two-party system has led to a cycle of division and dissatisfaction, with each election feeling like a choice between the lesser of two evils rather than a genuine opportunity to select a candidate who aligns with their values. Therefore, both major parties deserve having their candidates' names being written in, consciously and carefully, rather than lazily bubbled in as “the lesser of two evils.”
Donald Trump, despite being a legitimate nominee, didn’t attend his party’s debates, having been a Presidential loser in 2020. He questioned the legitimacy of that election, pushing conspiracies to the point of provoking an armed attack on the Capitol. Yet, he won the nomination, with a party so deeply entrenched in anti-Democratic fears that they overlooked serious debate. But at least Trump won his party’s nomination fair and square, unlike Kamala Harris, who didn’t receive a single primary vote. The Democratic Party did not hold debates or primaries when it became clear Biden would be too old to serve a second term. Instead, Harris leveraged her social and political connections to secure the nomination without engaging in a democratic process.
A write-in campaign isn’t about upending the system overnight or causing chaos, it’s actually about reducing conflict and the potential for violence. By participating in a write-in effort, we are encouraging Americans to think beyond the limited choices presented by the two major parties and to take a stand for a process that truly reflects the will of the people. This approach forces the nation to carefully count each ballot, even if it takes a little longer, ensuring every voice is heard. This could be the last election under the current, broken system before we amend the Constitution to adopt a fairer approach—one that addresses both extremes: the rhetoric questioning election legitimacy from the Republican side, and the insider deals on the Democratic side that undermine democratic principles. This write-in effort serves as a powerful tool for reshaping our democracy by ensuring every vote is counted with equal weight, beyond the limitations imposed by party control.
To fully appreciate the significance of a write-in campaign, we must look back at how our voting system has evolved—and where it still falls short.
Learning from History to Shape Our Future: The Evolution of Voting and Ballot Access in the U.S.
In the early days of the United States, voting was a public affair. Elections were often conducted through voice voting, where voters openly declared their choice in front of a crowd. This method, far from secret, made it easy for powerful figures and political parties to manipulate outcomes and intimidate voters. As democracy evolved, so did the push for a more private and secure method of casting ballots.
By the early 19th century, paper ballots began to replace voice voting. However, these were neither standardized nor government-issued. Instead, political parties printed and distributed their own ballots, often pre-filled with their preferred candidates. These party-printed ballots enabled further manipulation and intimidation. In response to this corruption, the Australian ballot system was adopted in the late 19th century, introducing secret, government-printed ballots to protect voter privacy and reduce fraud.
Today, despite these reforms, our elections are still heavily influenced by the two major parties, often making it difficult for independent or third-party candidates to compete. This is why the write-in option remains so crucial—it allows voters to directly express their preferences, bypassing party-dominated ballots. A write-in campaign is a return to a more democratic process where voter intent is prioritized, fostering an environment that truly reflects the people’s voice. While minimizing the risk of violence after a potential Trump loss, a nationwide write-in campaign also forces the expectation of patience among the public during the one-, two-, or even three-week period after the election, as all votes are thoroughly examined.
Addressing Concerns About a Being a “Spoiler”
Many Americans worry that a write-in campaign could act as a "spoiler," unintentionally tipping the election. However, our campaign is grounded in ethical responsibility. We’ve set clear goals—if we don’t meet specific internal metrics, including fundraising and polling numbers by Halloween, we will end the campaign to avoid disrupting the election.
Moreover, we trust that our nation is strong enough to handle this kind of democratic experiment responsibly. We trust the American people to take the reins of their own political destiny and make their voices heard in a meaningful way. By advocating for this write-in campaign, we are placing our faith in the capacity of our democracy to evolve and adapt, just as it has throughout our history. Finally, we believe that voters who feel strongly about a candidate will take the time to spell their name correctly, ensuring that their vote truly reflects their choice.
The Significance of the Halloween Deadline
The Halloween deadline is not just a logistical cutoff—it is deeply symbolic. Halloween and Day of the Dead are celebrations that honor those who came before us, making this the perfect time to reflect on the legacy we wish to leave for future generations. Our campaign proposes transforming these days into a new national holiday, dedicated to remembering our ancestors and contemplating the future of our nation.
This would be a holiday to honor the past while making a conscious decision about the future, just before we cast our votes. This campaign deadline, therefore, serves not only as a logistical cutoff but as a moment to reflect on our democratic values before casting our votes. By October 31st, we will know whether the write-in campaign can truly ignite this revolution, or whether we must step aside responsibly.
As part of our broader vision for revolutionary reforms, we also propose revisiting our federal holidays to better reflect our shared values. This transformation would start from the ground up, in line with the ideas outlined in our Healing Our Politics platform. You can explore more about our proposals for national holidays here: Holidays: A Reflection on Our Shared Values.
The Problem with Party Control Over the Presidency
While political parties have a role in organizing legislative efforts in Congress, their influence over the presidency has become a problem. Parties that control the Executive branch often pass laws that benefit their leadership and corporate donors, who lurk in the shadows far removed from public scrutiny. The presidency should be independent from partisan control, ensuring that the executive branch truly serves the people, not party elites. A two-party Congress is preferable to a one-party system, but it’s time to end the Democratic-Republican stranglehold over the presidency. Indeed, Washington warned about the dangers of political parties, or "factions," in his Farewell Address in 1796, cautioning that they could distract public councils and divide the nation.
The primary process also has its flaws, ones that are arguably unconstitutional. While the Constitution allows parties to run their primaries as they see fit, the spirit of the document is clear: one vote should be equal to another, regardless of state or other factors. However, the staggered primary process gives undue weight to early states like Iowa and New Hampshire, leaving many voters, like those in California and Oregon, without a meaningful say in the selection of candidates. This is inherently unfair, and a national write-in campaign would be a fairer, more constitutionally aligned approach.
It is long overdue that we return to the first principles of our Constitution, ensuring that every citizen’s vote carries equal weight, regardless of when or where it is cast.
A New Vision for Future Elections: Gradual and Thoughtful Reform
Looking beyond 2024, we envision a series of thoughtful, gradual reforms to further enhance our democratic process. The best system for electing Presidents I’ve seen is this: combine a national lottery system for candidate selection with ranked-choice voting (RCV). This proposal isn’t about radical change, it’s actually the natural next step as we approach our 250th anniversaries, allowing voters to rank their choices.
The lottery system would allow a diverse pool of candidates to emerge, reflecting a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives, while RCV would encourage candidates to seek broad support, reducing extreme partisanship. This system would empower voters to express their preferences more freely, knowing that their choices matter in a more nuanced and meaningful way.
A Commitment to Fairness, Despite the Risks
I fully recognize that such a bold proposition may provoke strong opposition, even threats of violence. Some may see this effort as a direct challenge to the entrenched powers that have long controlled our political system. But almost two decades ago, years before considering a Presidential run, I accepted my mortality when I joined the military. I did so again and again during airborne missions in Afghanistan, where I was forced to confront death firsthand. I have a young son and hope to live a long, full life with more children in the future.
But this proposal isn't meant to incite conflict—it’s designed to reduce it. By creating a fairer election process, we can alleviate tensions before and during the vote-counting begins, ensuring that every vote is respected and every voice is heard.
Why We Must Act Now
We are at a critical juncture in American history. The nation is more polarized than ever, and many people feel the political process no longer serves them. This is why we must act now to heal our nation. The challenges facing our democracy are significant, but they are not insurmountable.
By taking these small, deliberate steps—beginning with a national write-in campaign and continuing with future reforms—we can start to heal the deep divisions that have taken root in our nation. We have the opportunity to create a political culture where every vote counts equally, where every voice is heard, and where the power of the people is restored to its rightful place. This approach can help restore trust in the democratic process and reduce the likelihood of post-election conflict. Additionally, by encouraging a write-in campaign, we are advocating for the dissolution of outdated electoral practices, including the Electoral College system, which many believe no longer represents the democratic principles upon which our nation was founded.
How You Can Help
If you believe in our vision for a more inclusive and representative government, there are several ways you can support this movement:
Donate $10 Today: Help us reach our $100 million fundraising goal to ensure our campaign has the resources it needs to make an impact.
Spread the Word: Share this message with your friends, family, and community. Let’s grow awareness and encourage others to learn more about our campaign and vision.
Stay Engaged: Sign up for our email list at FialForward.com to receive updates and stay informed about our plans for electoral reform.
Participate in Dialogue: Join the conversation about how we can heal our democracy. We welcome your ideas, feedback, and support as we work together for a better future.
Looking Ahead
This campaign is more than just an election bid — it’s a call to action for all Americans who are tired of the same old political games and are ready for something different. We are asking you to take a bold step with us to reclaim our democracy, to make your voice heard, and to write in the candidate who truly represents you.
This is our chance to unite as Americans—not as partisans, but as citizens committed to a more just and democratic future. Let’s come together to write in the candidate who represents us, and reshape the political landscape for generations to come.
Together, we can make history in 2024. Let’s take this opportunity to reshape our political landscape, restore trust in our electoral process, and build a future that truly reflects the will of the people. Let’s make this the last election under the old, broken system. Join us in creating a new path forward—one that honors our past, addresses our present, and builds a better future for all.
With hope and determination,
John Fial
September 14th, 2024
FialForward.com