The Humane Party

America’s Party of Science and Ethics

The Humane Party is building a political movement rooted in compassion, evidence, justice, and respect for all beings.

Founded in 2009, the Humane Party became the first U.S. political party organized around the principle that our ethical responsibilities do not stop at the boundary of our own species.

We believe government can—and should—protect individual rights, strengthen democracy, support a sustainable and prosperous economy, and make decisions based on science, reason, and compassion.

Our ethics begin with veganism—but they don’t end there.

What We Stand For

The Humane Party is committed to:

Legal rights and personhood for all animals—not just the human kind.
An ecosystem-neutral, sustainably prosperous economy that recognizes the connection between human well-being, animal protection, and the health of our planet.
Ethical and accountable leadership, including support for candidates who have committed to humane values both personally and politically.
A stronger democracy where political participation, civil rights, equal protection, and representative government are protected and expanded.
Practical progress guided by science and ethics, rather than accepting cruelty, exploitation, or injustice simply because they have become traditional.

Humane politics is about more than one issue.

It means asking who is affected by our laws, who has been excluded from their protection, what evidence tells us, and whether better alternatives are possible.

A Political Home for Humane Values

The Humane Party exists for people who believe compassion belongs in public policy.

That includes animal advocates, environmentalists, civil-rights advocates, scientists, organizers, writers, candidates, volunteers, and people who may simply be searching for a political community that better reflects their values.

There are many ways to participate.

Some people want to run for office. Others want to organize locally, research legislation, write, fundraise, plan events, develop state chapters, support campaigns, build partnerships, or contribute their professional skills.

A movement needs all of them.

You do not have to arrive knowing exactly where you fit. You simply have to be willing to help build something better.

Where We Are Today

The Humane Party continues to grow through national organizing, developing state chapters, candidate outreach, advocacy campaigns, partnerships, volunteer recruitment, public education, and community engagement.

Our work includes building pathways for humane candidates, supporting political action around animal protection and other justice issues, strengthening relationships with aligned organizations, developing new opportunities for participation, and creating resources that help humane ideas move from principle into practice.

We are building for the long term—and there is plenty of work still ahead.

That is exactly why new voices, new skills, and new ideas matter.

Volunteer with the Humane Party

Our History

The Humane Party launched on Earth Day, April 22, 2009.

Since then, the party has reached a number of historic milestones in the development of humane politics in the United States.

2009–2016: Building the Foundation

The Humane Party registered its first voters in 2011 and began establishing a political framework centered on animal rights, sustainability, civil rights, and democratic reform.

In 2015, the party published the final drafts of the Equal Rights Amendment II and the Democracy Amendment.

That year also brought the nomination of Clifton Roberts as the Humane Party’s first candidate for President of the United States.

Roberts was joined in 2016 by running mate Breeze Harper, forming the first fully vegan, abolitionist presidential ticket in U.S. history.

The Humane Party also established Abolition Day on December 6 to commemorate ratification of the 13th Amendment and advance the broader principle of abolishing slavery and exploitation, and Civil Rights Day on April 9 to commemorate the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and promote the protection and expansion of civil rights.

The final draft of the Humane Party’s Abolition Amendment was published on Abolition Day in 2016.

2018–2020: Candidates and Campaigns

In 2018, Robert Mason ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas’s Third Congressional District, while Clifton Roberts ran for the U.S. Senate in California.

The Humane Party also became involved with the Veggie Pride Parade in New York.

In 2019, Ryan Lum of Happy Healthy Vegan entered the 2020 race for Long Beach City Council, while Clifton Roberts won the Humane Party’s first presidential primary and became the party’s 2020 nominee for President.

2024: A New Generation of Humane Leadership

In 2023, Brandy Walt announced her entry into the 2024 presidential election and earned the Humane Party’s nomination for President of the United States.

Her candidacy continued the party’s effort to give voters an alternative grounded in humane values while helping carry the Humane Party into its next chapter of organizing and growth.

The Next Chapter Is Being Written Now

Political movements are not built by websites, platforms, or candidates alone.

They are built by people.

People willing to organize. People willing to write. People willing to run for office. People willing to research, fundraise, create, speak, listen, collaborate, and show up in their communities.

The Humane Party is continuing to build that movement across the United States.

Whether you have been involved in advocacy for decades or are discovering humane politics for the first time, there can be a place for you here.

Get involved with the Humane Party.