E-Poll: Locals, Councils Released to Endorse

The results are in from CWA's e-poll — the first online presidential candidate preference poll ever conducted by a major labor union. CWA members expressed a preference against an early endorsement and demonstrated close margins among the top vote-getters.

After reviewing the results, the CWA Executive Board voted to release locals and CWA councils to make their own endorsements.

The Executive Board urged locals to convene state council meetings to discuss endorsement. In the absence of a council endorsement, locals are free to endorse.

Locals also are encouraged to meet with other CWA locals in their geographic area and consider making joint endorsements to increase influence for a particular candidate, the board said.

Over the six-week online voting period — from Oct. 1 through Nov. 9 — more than 30,000 votes for presidential choice were cast. On the question of whether to make an early endorsement, a slight majority of voters indicated that no endorsement was their choice.

On the choice of candidates, the three top vote-getters received close margins of support from CWA members. Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Barack Obama were the top choices. Votes were split primarily among three top Democratic candidates. About 20 percent of votes were cast for a Republican contender.

"CWA is a member driven union and we will be guided by our members' decision on this issue and all others," said CWA President Larry Cohen.

"In communities across the country, CWA members will be raising our critical issues — jobs, health care reform and bargaining and organizing rights — for working families over the coming months, with the goal of electing a president and other leaders who will put in place the policies our nation needs to restore the middle class," he said. 

At www.cwavotes.org, members can continue to get information about all the candidates.