Social Work Speaks Abstracts

Electoral Politics

This policy statement defines electoral politics and many terms and concepts associated with it. Our purpose is to help NASW members understand that electoral political knowledge, skills, and activities can be part of any practitioner’s repertoire and that NASW engages in a wide range of electoral activities from endorsing and contributing to partisan political candidates to providing political education programs. Because electoral politics determines which candidates and parties will control government at any level, professional social workers need to understand this fundamental American institution and learn to use it to advance their values and priorities.