“That’s really what we’re about- having those conversations starts to uncover solutions, and it leads to solving these real problems.””

- Jim Palmisciano

Jim Palmisciano wants to give Rhode Islanders a new political party.

Palmisciano, a graduate of Bishop Hendricken High School and Providence College, is chair of the Rhode Island Forward Party, which aims to reduce polarization and promote agreements and compromises among those with different ideologies.

He is no stranger to elections or politics having served on the Richmond Town Council in 2020 and losing a re-election bid in 2022. Outside of politics, he works as a sales director for Schneider Electric.

The national Forward Party was founded by Andrew Yang, a former Democratic candidate for president and for mayor of New York City, in late 2021. With family throughout the state- some here in Warwick and others in East Greenwich, Cumberland and Coventry- Palmisciano is working to localize the Forward Party message.

Palmisciano, a former Republican, joined the Serve America Movement in 2022. Soon afterward  the Serve America Movement merged with the Forward Party and the Renew America Movement under the Forward name in an attempt to build a more viable third party.

His first experience working under the Forward Party label was with a colleague who came from the original party that had vastly differing political views.

“She and I came from opposite ends of the political spectrum, and we found a way to work together on the ideas that were important,” Palmisciano said. “That’s really what we’re about- having those conversations starts to uncover solutions, and it leads to solving these real problems.”

At this point, the Forward Party is not running candidates in local elections, nor do they plan on running a candidate in the 2024 presidential election.

The Forward Party is not officially registered as a party in the state of Rhode Island yet, as they first have to complete an affiliation agreement with the national Forward Party and get enough signatures from the public to total five percent of the votes cast in the previous gubernatorial election. According to Palmisciano, that would result in a total of approximately 18,000 signatures needed statewide.

Palmisciano is currently looking for party leaders in Kent, Bristol and Providence Counties.

“We need to build our team,” Palmisciano said. “I want to be able to say that we are the first Forward Party in the U.S. that has a county leader for every county in the state. Granted, Rhode Island may be easier than some, but I’ll take it.”

In order to build his party up- and give both the Forward Party and any other parties a chance in an election- Palmisciano is looking at bringing ranked-choice voting to Rhode Island.

Ranked-choice voting is a system in which voters can list the candidates in a race by order of their preference, with a vote going to a voter’s second choice should their first one not be among the top two, and so on. As of 2023, only two states- Maine and Alaska- have adopted ranked-choice voting, although some municipalities in other states use ranked-choice voting for their elections as well.

Palmisciano said that the Rhode Island Forward Party is working with Ocean State Ranked Choice Voting to try to create a ballot initiative for Rhode Islanders to decide whether they want to adopt the ranked-choice voting system.

“The ranked-choice voting approach gives a chance for people to vote their conscience,” he said.

According to their website, Ocean State Ranked Choice Voting holds meetings at the Warwick Public Library on the third Tuesday of each month.

The long-term goal for the Forward Party in Rhode Island, according to Palmisciano, is to have success in local and statewide elections. At this time, though, the party is looking to affiliate with Democrats, Republicans and independents in local government who share their beliefs.

“We are asking Republicans, Democrats, independents, Libertarians, whoever- come to the Forward Party, bring your ideas, as long as you are willing to work together collaboratively and work towards a more vibrant democracy,” Palmisciano said.