After months of organizing that began early in the summer, the UAW is on track to knock more than 300,000 doors with UAW members and union households as part of its biggest electoral program in decades.
The UAW is using its membership-focused political program, modeled on the success of the 2023 Stand Up Strike, to reach working-class voters from UAW households in key Senate and House races nationwide. In several key districts where UAW membership exceeds the previous election’s margin of victory, the UAW has more than 130 full-time political organizers in the field and has mobilized thousands of volunteers.
The focus of the program has been empowering members to have honest conversations with UAW families about UAW’s core four issues: wages, healthcare, retirement, and time off. Since launching in July, the member-led program has reached hundreds of thousands of working-class voters across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, California, Nevada, Alaska, Arizona, Washington, North Carolina, Kansas, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Maine. The groundwork has been substantial.
By election day, the union projects it will have completed:
- More than 300,000 doors knocked
- 750,000 calls made
- More than 4,000 volunteers recruited
“Our political program is like everything else about the UAW: it’s member-driven,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “We’ve been flexing our muscle at the bargaining table for the last few years. Now we’re building that same muscle in our politics. This year, our members are leading a bold political program, shaking up the political status quo. We’ll start by electing UAW champions to office – but our members will lead the work that comes after election day to win a working-class agenda in the halls of power.”
Organizing Where Members Can Make the Difference
Michigan and Ohio are central to the effort, reflecting the importance of industrial jobs, economic security, and workers’ rights in the region’s political landscape.
“I have been knocking doors in elections for 25 years, and this one has had more energy than I’ve felt in a long time talking to UAW voters and their families,” said Tielece Perry, UAW Local 7 member from Belleville, MI. “Talking about being able to make ends meet is what we do with our coworkers every time we are bargaining a new union contract, and affordability is by far the number one issue voters care about right now. The UAW has the organizational structure, the relationships across Michigan, and the vision to turn those concerns into collective action — and real votes for our endorsed slate.”
In Ohio, the UAW has committed significant resources to bring Sherrod Brown, a longtime ally of working-class people, back to the Senate. The Union is also working to protect Marcy Kaptur’s seat in District 09, one of the country’s densest UAW districts, where members make up 10% of all voters. Members are also working to flip District 07 for fellow union member Brian Poindexter.
In Lorain County—the only Ohio county to vote for both Sherrod Brown and Donald Trump in 2024—the UAW has added a contentious County Commission race to its campaign. UAW-represented county workers have been on strike since February 18, underscoring the connection between political decisions and workers’ ability to secure fair treatment on the job.
“I’ve been active in CAP for a long time now and this year is different from previous years,” said Kim Daniels, a UAW Local 12 member in Toledo, OH. “For months, our boots have been on the ground throughout the state of Ohio. With our unity and power, Ohio will become the number one state for working-class people. This program will be the driving force for Ohio.”
“I’m really proud to be involved with the UAW’s political program this election cycle,” said Shawn Smith, a UAW Local 677 member in Allentown, PA. “I’ve noticed there’s less negativity towards us at doors, no matter which side someone is on. We all realize we are going in the wrong direction where nothing is affordable anymore. Our UAW program isn’t just about UAW members – it’s about fighting to lift up the entire working-class with candidates like our union brother Bob Brooks in PA-07.”
“Serving on UAW’s release staff this fall has changed my life. For the first time, I know that working people like me and my fellow UAW members can change the course of politics when we organize,” said Sarah Van Dijk, UAW Local 4811 member in San Diego, CA. “We’ve built a GOTV program unlike anything we’ve done before.”
Election Day Is Tuesday. Building Power Doesn’t Stop There.
Conversations at the doors are also helping shape the UAW’s working-class agenda for the new Congress in 2027. The concerns and priorities workers share at the doors are informing the union’s broader political work, strengthening the connection between what working people experience on the job and the decisions made by elected officials.
Following Election Day, the UAW will take the fight for higher wages, affordable healthcare, a secure retirement and more time off directly to Congress and state legislatures. With the power of its members behind it, the union will hold lawmakers accountable and fight for an economy that puts working people first.
Looking ahead to 2028, the UAW is working to build worker power from the shop floor up and fighting to restore the American Dream by ensuring every worker can earn a good living, retire with dignity and have time for family and life outside the job.