The Basics
What this is — and isn't
Is this a political party?
No. 120K or Less is a nonpartisan membership organization in formation — think of it more like a member-owned association than a party. We don't run candidates, we won't become a party, and our planned structure deliberately includes no political committee. We organize around a shared economic reality — earning $120,000 or less — not a partisan identity. Our members will come from every party and from no party at all.
Okay, but which side are you on — left or right?
Neither. We take positions on issues, never on parties. Some of our positions will sound "left" to you, some will sound "right," and that's exactly what an issues-first organization looks like. This isn't about political parties. It's about people. If a policy strengthens the working majority, we're for it; if it doesn't, we're not — regardless of whose name is on the bill.
Where does the $120,000 line come from?
From the government's own wage data. About 9 in 10 American wage earners — roughly 90% — earned under $120,000, according to Social Security Administration wage statistics (2023). With more than 150 million Americans receiving wages that year (SSA, 2023), that means well over 100 million people earn $120K or less. The line isn't a judgment about anyone's worth. It's a description of where the vast majority of working America actually lives.
Why "Vote is Power"?
Because it's the one lever every member already holds, no donation required. A movement of the working majority doesn't need to outspend anyone — it needs to show up. "Vote is Power" is a rally cry, not an instruction: we will tell members when elections happen and what is on the ballot. We will never tell anyone who to vote for. That line is what keeps us nonpartisan, and we intend to keep it.
Membership & Money
Joining, giving, and where dollars go
I earn more than $120,000 — can I still join?
Yes, and welcome. The name describes who we represent, not a gate at the door. Plenty of people above the line remember what it was like below it, or love someone who's there now. Allies are wanted here — and one member, one vote applies equally to everyone, whatever they earn.
Is membership really free?
Yes — free now, and free permanently. Membership includes the weekly newsletter, voting alerts, legislative updates, local events, member forums, and participation in member polls. Donors who choose to give fund the extras — organizing, chapters, education programs — but giving buys exactly zero extra votes and zero extra standing. A movement of the working majority can't have a paywall at the door.
Are donations tax-deductible?
No. Our parent organization is planned as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, and contributions to a 501(c)(4) are not tax-deductible as charitable donations. We say that plainly everywhere we mention giving, because clarity beats fine print. (A separate 501(c)(3) educational foundation is also planned — for scholarships, financial literacy, and civic education. If and when that entity is live, gifts to it would follow the usual charitable rules, and we'll label the two clearly so no one is ever confused about which is which.) Donations don't open until national launch.
Where does the money go?
Today, nowhere — we haven't collected a dollar, because nothing opens until launch. Once operational, we've committed to publishing our annual budget, audited financials, board meeting summaries, executive compensation by name, real member counts, and running totals of funds raised and spent by program. The full standing list of disclosure commitments lives on our Transparency page. Members can vote to expand that list — never to shrink it.
When does membership open?
At national launch. We haven't announced a date, and until we have one we won't pretend to — no countdown clocks, no "doors closing soon." What you can do today is add your name on the Join page preview so you're notified the moment membership opens, as a founding member.
How It Works
Governance, chapters, and the platform
How are leaders chosen?
By members. One member, one vote. Members elect the board of directors (planned at 9 to 15 seats), state chapters elect their own state leaders, and an annual convention puts the organization's direction in front of the whole membership. Leadership here is something you're elected to, not something you buy or inherit.
What's a state chapter?
The local unit of the movement. A state chapter is where members in your state meet, hold events, run forums, and elect their own state leaders — because a national organization that only exists on the internet isn't much of an organization. Chapters stand up as membership grows in each state after launch. See State Chapters for how they'll work.
Is the platform final?
No — and it never fully will be. What's published today is our founding draft: a set of advocacy positions we believe in and are prepared to argue for. They are positions, not settled facts, and we label them that way. After launch, members will debate and vote on the platform, and the annual convention keeps it a living document. If you disagree with a plank, that's not a reason to stay away — it's a reason to join and vote.
Who runs this today?
A founding team, and we're straightforward about that. The organization is in formation: right now the work is legal structure, transparency commitments, the draft platform, and this site. Governance transfers to members at launch — elections for the board, chapters electing state leaders, the platform put to member votes. The founding team's job is to build the house and then hand over the keys.
Do you endorse candidates?
No. No endorsements, no political committee, no contributions to campaigns. Our voting alerts tell members when elections are happening and what's on the ballot — never how to mark it. We advocate for policies with whoever holds office, from any party.
What happens with my data?
It is never sold, never rented, never traded — not to advertisers, not to campaigns, not to anyone. Today this site's forms are previews and collect nothing at all. At launch, membership will ask for basics like your email, state, and ZIP so we can send your newsletter and connect you to your chapter. The full plain-English policy is at Privacy.
Right Now
Before launch
How can I help right now, before launch?
Three ways, all free. First, add your name on the Join page preview so you're counted from day one. Second, raise your hand on the Volunteer page — we'll need organizers, writers, and chapter builders in every state. Third, and honestly most important: share this site with one person who works for a living. Before launch, word of mouth is the entire engine.
My question isn't here. Who do I ask?
Us, directly — the Contact page has a form preview and a promise we mean: we read everything. Questions we get more than once will be added to this page with straight answers.
Be Here First
Join the movement
Membership is free — now and permanently. Add your name and be on the record as one of the people who built this.
Opens at national launch