Endorsement by The Oath of Office

To be endorsed by The Oath of Office, a candidate or politician must:

• Be currently in office or running within the next 18 months.
  
  

• Pass a qualifications interview and *background check to ensure alignment of values and readiness to operate within the LoD network.
  
  

• Swear to uphold the Politician’s Creed, a seven-part declaration affirming their responsibility to constituents and the ethical standards of public office.

* if you are already in office or have served in office before, a review your voting record is part of our background check.

An Oath of Office endorsement unlocks the following support built to sustain real, long-term change.  This includes:

• A registered version of the Politician's Creed badge (see below) that is unique to you and identifies you as a candidate/politician who puts their constituents first.

• Visibility on The Oath of Office's endorsements page.

• Campaign Kit:  Organizing framework and tools, ready to use and customize to your campaign.

• The ability to work with experienced and trained campaign managers* who can help you navigate the political landscape with proven strategy, discipline, and purpose.

• Access to the OATH** Network, our membership infrastructure that supports outreach, relational growth, volunteer mobilization, and fundraising.

• Ongoing guidance from LoD’s strategic advisors and task forces—built for recall, conversion, and community-based accountability initiatives.

*  Campaign managers working with The Oath of Office are part of a growing network of experienced campaign advisors trained to support and advance candidates who are sworn to and abide by the Politician's Creed.  Campaign managers working through The Oath of Office with endorsed candidates are expected to provide a marketing-cost discount to the candidate from their normal billing rate. 

** Ongoing Accountability, Transparency, Honesty

Endorsement by The Oath of Office isn't about party affiliation—it's about principled leadership.  We endorse candidates across the spectrum who are willing to put their constituents first, stand firm in their convictions, and help restore the foundational trust between the governed and those who govern.

If you’re ready to lead with courage—and you're done playing by rules designed to keep conscience out of politics—we want to work with you.

Once you apply via the button below, the following process takes place:

1. Application review

2. With You - Pre-screening Call 

While we respect and appreciate the passion so many people have to run for office and represent their community, the successful candidate will demonstrate the critical thinking skills necessary to represent their community well along with the ability to clearly state what they hope to achieve once in office.

3. References 

Between one and three non-familial references of the candidate's will be contacted with regards to the candidate.

4. With You - Candidate Readiness & Assessment Call

The successful candidate at this stage will demonstrate, if not a full understanding of the rigors that lie ahead as part of their campaign, the willingness to adapt and put the tremendous amount of work in that will be necessary to pull off a good election.

5. Endorsement Team Review

6. With You - TPC Interview

The successful candidate will demonstrate both an alignment and a deep understanding of the 7 Articles of the Politician's Creed, both in terms of how they apply to the candidate themself as well as how they apply to the relationship between the candidate and their constituents.

7. TPC Interview Rubric Review

8. Background Check

For candidates who have gotten to this stage, the Oath Of Office will review their background including social media, news articles, prior policy voting records (if the candidate has held office before), et al.

9. Endorsement Team Review

10. Preliminary Award Email

Candidate is notified that they have successfully passed all of the qualifying hurdles involved in the endorsement.  There is one task left:  taking the oath itself.

11. With You & Your Team - Formal Oath Ceremony* 

This 10-minute ceremony is performed and recorded virtually whereby the candidate swears to abide by and be held accountable to each of the 7 Articles of The Politician's Creed separately.  Attendance by at least a few representatives of the candidate's team and/or community is required for the ceremony to occur.   

12. Endorsement Award Email

Candidate receives their formal notice of endorsement.

13. With You & Your Team - Follow-Up meeting

The Oath Of Office provides to the candidate their trademarked, serialized TPC Badge license and reviews various ways the Oath Of Office can support the candidate going forward.  This meeting is attended by the candidate and/or relevant members of their team.  

* performed online with Oath of Office officials, members of the public, and your team.

Post Endorsement...

After endorsement, the candidate is now certified under The Politician's Creed.  The serial number on their badge is their certification number.   Certification is not tied to any office, but to the character of the candidate as evidenced by their background, relationship with their constituents, and their actions in office.  The Oath Of Office, acting on behalf of The Politician's Creed, reserves the right to revoke certification should circumstances warrant it.

Q:  How is an Oath Of Office endorsement different from others?

A:  Almost all other endorsements are about a candidate in line for a particular seat of office (for example, "We endorse candidate Smith for the office of City Commissioner.").  The Oath Of Office endorses candidates not for a particular office but for the commitment of that candidate to their constituents.

--------

Q:  How long does endorsement last?

A:  Barring any exceptional circumstance requiring revocation, endorsement is ongoing pending intermittent recertification processes that involve the constituents themselves.  This is managed either via the OATH Network or by polling constituents (when a politician is not supported by an OATH Network).

--------

 
Q:  Will The Oath Of Office endorse more than one candidate for a particular office?

A:  As mentioned in the first Q above, our endorsement is strictly about the character of the candidate and their relationship with their constituents.  We would endorse ALL of the candidates for a particular seat of office if they could all affirm and demonstrate their constituents come first (and of course, pass our background checks, et al.).  Given the nature of most political candidates today however, that's not likely in the near future.  But we do look toward the day when every candidate in a race has proven their enduring loyalty to their constituents...

--------