RALEIGH, NC – It’s official: 5,000 North Carolinians have raised their hands and signed their names to say they’re ready for something better. That something is a political movement that forgoes partisan gridlock and instead focuses on consensus, problem-solving, fairness, and genuine representation.

See the North Carolina State Board of Election (NCSBE) petition tracker for reference HERE.

The North Carolina Forward Party (NCFP) has not only spoken to but has heard these thousands of voters, and is now thrilled to announce it has surpassed the 5,000-signature mark—a major milestone in its effort to achieve ballot access and run Forward Party candidates in state-wide elections. This milestone reflects a years-long effort by Party members, paid signature gatherers, and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to spread the message of the Forward Party to citizens of our state and garner their support in order to allow for more choices at the ballot box.

In order to officially and legally secure ballot access in North Carolina, the Forward Party still needs to obtain roughly 10,000 additional individual signatures from prospective voters and submit them to the state to satisfy the requirements of the Board of Elections (BOE). These signatures must be “pen to paper”—obtained the old-fashioned way as opposed to digitally through an app or via electronic signature.

Chip in today to help us cross the finish line and give voters a real choice.

“We have to walk up to strangers with a clipboard in our hand and ask them if they will take a pen and fill out our petition,” said Patrick Newton, NCFP State Chair. “Each signature also must be submitted to the BOE of the county in which the particular voter (signatory) registers. On the surface, that seems to make sense, but, in reality, it simply creates more administrative work for our all-volunteer organization.”

While a daunting task, the NCFP is rising to the challenge. In the last half of 2025 alone, our team gathered over a thousand signatures, staffing tables and booths and talking to voters at events like Riverfest in Wilmington, the Pride Festival in Greensboro, and at October’s NC State Fair in Raleigh. This accomplishment reflects the dedication and passion of our supporters and volunteer staff who continue to do the difficult work and have the conversations that are required to educate voters in our state and bring about meaningful political change in North Carolina.

And while 5,000 signatures is a significant accomplishment and indicative of the Forward momentum our movement is gaining, we still have much to do to reach the required signature threshold to be able to run candidates on the Forward Party line.

If you or someone you know would like to support our continued ballot access work, please consider contributing. Every donation strengthens our ability to ensure North Carolinians have more choices at the ballot box. You can also visit our website to view our petition and learn more about how you can help us gain ballot access and create a healthier, more representative political future for North Carolina.