You can create a new Political Party. Here’s how to do it.

People don’t trust Republicans. People don’t trust Democrats. Should you even vote Independent — a 3rd party more popular with Millennials?

If you don’t like any  of them, what can do you? Well, you can simply create your own party and register it with the SEC. If you have millions to support it, congrats — you have just created a new major party!

Here are the steps to make it happen:

Organizing Your Supporters

1. Hold meetings to generate interest in forming a party.

• Hold meetings with people you already know in a community center or even at your home. If there’s interest in creating a new party, tell them to spread the word to people they know. Hold a second, larger meeting inviting these people, too.
• Record attendance at all meetings. When officially filing your party, you’ll typically need to prove that you’ve been holding meetings.
• It’s never too early to start soliciting donations. At the early stages, you can start a crowdfunding campaign. Later, you can have your financial team set up a more formal donation process.

2. Hang around political candidates.

• If you have a charismatic candidate you would like to promote, ask them to attend your meetings.
• They can give speeches, take promotional photos, greet constituents, and generally increase the buzz about the formation of your new party.

3. What’s your party’s basic principles?

• What aspects of political, social, or economic life would your party like to improve?
• What would your party want to accomplish if elected to office?
• What sets your party apart from others?
• Why would voters want to support your party’s candidates?
• Share them with the whole group, make any necessary changes, and vote to officially adopt the platform.

4. Establish rules and regulations for the new party.

To keep things manageable, you’ll need to establish another committee to write bylaws (rules). When they’re drafted, share them with everyone before voting to approve them. You’ll often also need to share these when officially filing. Bylaws will discuss things like.

• Who is the party’s leadership? How will they be elected?
• What committees will be formed?
• How do members vote on important issues?
• How will candidates be chosen?
• How will disagreements be handled?
• When will meetings be held, and what form will they take?

5. Yes, the money…

It takes money to organize a political party and promote candidates for elections. Your party will need rules for how money will come in, who will oversee it, and how it will be used.

• How will donations be generated?
• What account or accounts will money be held in?
• Which committee will be in charge of finances?
• Who will provide your accounting services?
• What guidelines do you want to set for things like how money can be spent on election campaigns?
• What procedures will you have for ensuring financial transparency?
• How will you handle any financial disagreements or investigations?

What’s the party’s brand?

1. Come up with a distinct name.

• Select a name that captures your party’s core values.
• Try to keep the name short — no more than a couple of words. That way, it will be memorable and easily identifiable.

2. Create a logo.

They are required when officially registering a party.

• If you want to brand your party as an innovator, consider a logo that depicts a modern, contemporary symbol while using traditional colors.

3. Create a website with the party’s name.

Purchase a domain name that is closely related to your party’s name. Put the website’s address on promotional materials, and distribute these at meetings. You need to include:

• A copy of your party’s manifesto and core beliefs.
• Biographies and statements from party leaders.
• Information about upcoming events and elections.
• Pages for any candidates that are running in elections.
• A link for information on how to donate.

4. Promote your party using social media.

Spread the word for your events using social media. Make sure to post regularly — you can also share news content and other materials that are relevant to your party’s interests.

• Social media services are vital to generating and maintaining interest in your party. Get out there on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, and any other major social media sites.
• Designate a social media team to oversee this aspect of your party’s activities.

Register the party

1.Collect signatures from supporters.

To qualify as a political party, you’ll typically need a certain number of signatures. This may simply be a hard number, like 1000, or it may be a certain percentage of voters registered in your area, like 5 percent.

• Pass around a paper or online form that announces it as a petition to create a political party. Have supporters sign.
• If you already have enough members in your party, just collect their signatures. Otherwise, get out there on the street, describe your party to anyone you see, and ask them to sign in support.

2. Meet any specific eligibility requirements.

Depending in the area you live in, you might need to do things like:

• Prove that you have spent more than $1,000 on election campaigns in a year,.
• Show that you have received contributions.
• Have a current politician declare membership.
• Reach a threshold number of official members.

3. File at the right time.

At times, you can only register a political party at certain times of the year. For instance, you may not be able to register a new political party shortly before an election.

If you aren’t sure of the rules in your area, check with your local electoral commission (google: “name of city / state electoral commission phone number” & call them).

4. Finally, submit your paperwork!

You’ll need to contact the electoral commission in your area to determine what paperwork you need to file. Typically, it will involve:

• An official form
• Copies of supporting documents like:
  • A statement of organization
  • Contact information for officers
  • Necessary signatures, and
  • A financial statement
• There may also be a filing fee.
• Once you’re officially registered, you should be able to officially have candidates placed on ballots for elections.

Here’s also some popular Q&A’s people have asked

Q. How many people are needed to start a political party?
A. In most countries, in order to register as a political party, you need at least one person to be registered as having certain roles within your party. For example, you’ll need a financial manager, etc. The rules vary from country to country.

Q. Can I start a party in one state of the USA instead of starting one nationally?
A. Yes, you can. The requirements for state and national are very similar, although you should still look up the state requirements, to be sure of what is required.

Q. After creating a political party (and registering it), are you then eligible to run for Government positions, such as Mayor, Governor, Senator, and President?
A. Yes, but support is hard to acquire. If you are really committed, start small with a seat in an assembly. After a few terms and some millions of dollars and tireless service (instead of only talking nonsense), if the majority of people are convinced that your party can be trusted AND vote for them, the government will be yours. Never forget, it is not necessary to create a political party in order to run for office.

Q. What does it mean to have a party affiliation?
A. It means that you identify with a political party. For example, if you are democratically affiliated, it means you are part of, or support, the democratic party.

Q. Can a foreigner create a political party in the United States and eventually run for president when they become a citizen of the country?
A. Only natural-born citizens of the United States are eligible for the presidency. However, there are no restrictions on creating a political party.

Q. What can I do if I believe that both major parties have forgotten the founding principles of the American political system?
A. Think about the creation of the Hamiltonian Party of the United States, based around John Jay and Alexander Hamilton’s Federalist ideas as a source of inspiration. If you love black rights, think about creating something based around the original Black Panther Party (before the Black Panthers group came about). If you are conservative or right-leaning, create a party like the Jeffersonian or Jacksonian party. If you lean left, then you could create something like the Adamsian or Madisonian party. Get a name that will remind people of the founders of the original political philosophies will help to give your party credibility.

Q. What will other parties will do to resist the new one?
A. The existing parties may try to change laws or procedures to limit the power of the new party. They may also refuse to work or compromise with the new party.

Q. If I form a political party in the United States, can it be moved to another country?
A. If the party is already registered in the U.S, then you can’t move it.

Q. How can I prevent the new party from being infiltrated by people who wish to change and destroy our party’s initial belief system?
A. Keep your party’s inner circle as small as possible, and tell those who have viewpoints you don’t approve of that they’re not welcome in the party.