Editor’s Note: Below is the summary of CPUSA Elections Conference by Joelle Fishman, Chair of the Political Action Commission.

Thank you so much to the panelists and moderators on behalf of the entire conference committee and the Political Action Commission for all the inspiring stories and experiences that we can draw lessons from and build upon in the work of our own clubs across the country.

Thank you to the tech crew and the interpreters who made this presentation possible.

And thank you to our national co-chair Joe Sims for framing the political moment we are in and the necessity and possibility for a much larger Communist Party as we build unity in this moment for multiracial democracy, equality, and peace.

The stories we have heard on each panel underscore the reality that when we organize on the basis of working class unity and solidarity, and when we fight together, we win together.

The stories show that as scary and horrific as these times are, the rising resistance and growing working class consciousness as capitalism is exposed, give us hope and strength.

165 days of struggle until the midterm elections

It is 165 days until the midterm elections. Every working class and democratic gain we’ve ever won and are fighting to expand is on the line. Our right to vote and have representation, the right to health care, housing, education, Social Security and a sustainable environment. The right to a job with a union. The right to protest and stop the wars and deportations. These issues have majority support.

MAGA candidates have lost all year in special elections. They know they stand to lose ground in November so they are trying to steal the election.

We have 165 days to turn the tide and end white supremacist MAGA control of Congress! To elect working class champions locally, tax the rich on the ballot in California and Michigan! And lay the basis for bigger demands and victories including across the South as the movement for voting rights rises on the shoulders of the freedom fighters who have gone before.

Last Saturday thousands came to Alabama and launched Freedom Summer and Freedom Fall to involve the entire nation. The attack on voting rights and representation in the South for Black people and people of color is an attack on all voters everywhere.

It is an attack on our ability as the entire working class to win funding for survival needs not billionaire greed and to advance toward socialism.

Historic battle demands historic voter turnout

This historic battle requires a historic voter turnout for dignity, respect and justice. The elections are not the end, they are the beginning.

Today we launch our CPUSA 165-day Solidarity Summer pledge campaign to engage our entire Party membership and allies in this epic fight.

Let’s plan out local Solidarity Summer boots on the ground campaigns to talk with the people, for voter registration in club concentration areas, participation in labor walks, door knocks, phone calling, postcard writing, tabling, mass actions, People’s World distributions and more to Repel Fascism and Build for Our Future. As Joe said, anything less is capitulation.

We carry with us the passion and determination that no one should go hungry or without and that everyone should have the right to equal representation and a full and productive life free from exploitation, racism and war. We carry with us our socialist vision and our understanding that the broad democratic people’s front we are building is part of getting there.

The mission

Our mission in this conference is to begin to map out community by community, workplace by workplace, how we are going to help bring the growing resistance from the streets to the polls in the biggest election turnout ever. And run more candidates of our own.

Leading up to today have been readings and discussions and door knocking and community outreach.

Congratulations to the 35 gatherings across the country. The crescendo of this virtual program is the in-person discussions each of our gatherings will have. The ideas that come forward will inform the decision-making of our leadership bodies.

Every community has its own political dynamics, election rules, and local issues. But we are all connected in our collective effort to turn back MAGA devastation at every level of government and bring forward a bold working class agenda.

Vote Out MAGA Resources packet

You should have before you the Vote Out MAGA Resources packet to help in your deliberations. It includes links on voter suppression and defending the right to vote; links on Grassroots Organizing including a chart of pro-worker candidates and ballot questions; a section on CPUSA candidate guidelines and campaigns; and a section with materials for distribution including how to order the 2026 bilingual print edition of Immigration Myths v Facts (at cpusa.org) and the book Lessons from Revolutionary Organizing (at International Publishers).

Questions for participant discussion

All 35 gatherings will discuss the same three questions to help develop concrete plans for the next 165 days. They are:

1. What are highlights from the panel discussions that relate to your work and experience?

2. What ideas do you have about helping clubs concentrate in specific neighborhoods or election districts that will continue after the election? What labor and community organizations do you want to collaborate with? What election campaigns and ballot initiatives are priorities to defeat MAGA and build a working class agenda?

3. What ideas do you have about how to work in such a way that lays the groundwork for more Communists to run for public office with coalition support?

Please ask someone at your gathering to take a few notes and send back any of the main ideas from your discussion so the Political Action Commission can put them all together.

Educate, mobilize, organize

I am confident we are up to the challenge to educate, organize and mobilize the historic vote that can begin to turn the tide if we use every organizing toolbox and refuse to be divided or discouraged or diminished. Let’s move forward with pride, determination and all boots on the ground, with confidence in our Party and the working class. Let’s join with our labor and community allies to register and turn out every voter in their own interests. And then keep the movement going and growing.

From the Streets to the Polls! Si Se Puede! Yes We Can!

Images: League of Women Voters of the U.S. Facebook.