Breaking: Teamsters begin voting for presidential endorsement

Union polls membership for top 5 political issues

Rank-and-file teamsters are encouraged to vote now on presidential endorsement. (Photo: Jim Allen / FreightWaves)

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced Friday that its membership would be voting on the union’s endorsement for U.S. president this election year.

According to a Facebook post from the organization, rank-and-file teamsters are encouraged to vote now on presidential endorsement. The post says that the union’s 1.6 million members and retirees recently received the latest issue of Teamster Magazine, which includes a QR code on the back page to cast votes for who the union should endorse for U.S. president in 2024.

The poll lists presidential contenders Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West as options to vote for endorsing. Voting undecided, no endorsement or write-ins are also options.

Additionally, the poll asks members to rank the top five political issues that they would like to see addressed by the Teamsters Union including: abortion, automation and AI, climate change, fighting corporate greed, immigration, inflation and cost of living, protecting union rights, quality affordable health care, retirement security and pensions, and right to work.

The Facebook post states that all members are eligible for and strongly encouraged to participate in the polling effort. The polling will continue through the end of August.

“Stay tuned for more updates from the Teamsters Union on a possible Presidential endorsement, which will be dictated and driven by the will of the members,” the post states.

The post comes over a week after the Teamsters announced a roundtable meeting invitation to Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on July 22. Harris’ campaign has yet to make a statement on if she will accept the invitation or not.

In a historic first, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien spoke at the Republican National Convention in July. The union’s president is also slated to speak at the Democratic National Convention later this month. 

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is the largest union in the U.S. The organization has not yet made an endorsement for president this year.

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Compliance

Brokerage Compliance Symposium

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Awards

F3 Awards Dinner

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
FreightTech

F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Compliance Brokerage Compliance Symposium Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
Awards F3 Awards Dinner Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

Caleb Revill

Caleb Revill is a journalist, writer and lifelong learner working as a Junior Writer for Firecrown. When he isn't tackling breaking news, Caleb is on the lookout for fascinating feature stories. Every person has a story to tell, and Caleb wants to help share them! He can be contacted by email anytime at Caleb.Revill@firecrown.com.