Mobilizing for the 2026 Elections

WHEREAS, the promise of America is under attack from every angle—from economic policies that rob working people of opportunity, to the defunding and undermining of public education and higher education, subversion of elections and voting rights, corruption and cronyism at the highest levels of government, and lawmakers and institutions cowering to an imperial presidency; and

WHEREAS, the affordability crisis is squeezing working- and middle-class families and pushing those living in poverty over the edge, forcing families to make impossible choices, such as skipping meals or delaying medical care; and

WHEREAS, working people do not feel that they can get ahead or that their voice is being heard, and instead see the ladder of opportunity being pulled out from under them by the people elected to make their lives better; and

WHEREAS, civil rights are under siege, fair representation is being rolled back, and the visibility and historical contributions of Black, Latino, Indigenous and other marginalized people are being erased to the point of effectively enacting new “Jim Crow” laws, including the gutting of the 1965 Voting Rights Act; and

WHEREAS, the fundamental democratic principles that power rests with the people, that free and fair elections are the foundation of democracy, and that there are no kings in America are being threatened; and

WHEREAS, partisan government officials are redrawing voting districts to lock in electoral advantages and disenfranchise millions of voters through racial gerrymandering, systematically purging eligible voters from rolls, attacking vote by mail and early voting, changing voting locations, suing elected officials and community organizations who expand and protect the rights of citizens to vote, and attempting to usurp state election laws; and

WHEREAS, political power, workplace power and economic power are inseparable, and the 2026 elections are the tipping point for democracy and in determining whether working people can thrive and have any power to shape their future and the future of this country; and

WHEREAS, control of the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate, governorships, state legislatures, school boards and local offices can be determined by a handful of votes in a handful of districts, and therefore every vote DOES count, making AFT members’ and their families’ votes potentially decisive in this election:

RESOLVED, that the 2026 elections are a “which side are you on” moment, and, accordingly, the AFT, its affiliates and AFT members commit to an unprecedented mobilization effort to urgently advocate for public education, access to healthcare, union rights, civil rights, economic justice and democracy; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will mobilize members and communities to vote, and to vote early if possible, and will partner with labor, community, faith and civic organizations to engage in voter protection and election defense programs to ensure that every eligible voter can vote, that their vote is counted and that the results of elections are honored; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT is committed to combating any attempt to rig or steal elections, including, but not limited to, disinformation campaigns, the use of law enforcement to intimidate voters, voter identification requirements, challenging valid ballots, interfering with vote counts, moving of polling locations, stoking of political violence and threatening legal prosecution; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT, AFT affiliates and our members will build on the successful electoral efforts of the past and redouble our efforts to meet this moment by providing the resources necessary and by conducting our most effective political campaign program ever.

Adopted July 17, 2026