Sign Up to Be an Election Defender

Now is the time to stop an authoritarian takeover of the upcoming election. We have a powerful vision, developed by Black organizers, for deep transformation in this country that can tackle racial and economic inequality for all of us. However, to win such a vision, it is strategically essential that we defeat Trump in the election. We need you to get your people into the streets in visible action in order to resist the threats of a contested election by Trump and make sure all the votes are counted. Together we are powerful!

This is one of the most important election of our lifetimes with some of the highest threats of voter suppression. Trump has threatened to postpone the election, has suggested that he won't respect the results of the election if he loses, is defunding the Post Office, and is encouraging law enforcement and white supremacist groups to intimidate voters at the polls. He’s deployed Border Patrol agents in Portland and since the summer over 10,000 protestors have been arrested, many of them facing federal charges.

Mass mobilization is one of our most powerful tools to ensure that Trump’s tactics are not normalized or accepted.   By being bold in our resistance, we can expose how his strategy hurts us all, and do our part to build the cross-class multiracial power necessary in these times to fight against racial capitalism. Let's get Trump out of office and keep the pressure on to make the systemic changes that people in the streets have been calling for.  

What is an Election Defender:

  • Election Defenders are the core leaders in local areas that will be the heartbeat of our campaign to defend the right to vote, and the integrity of the 2020 presidential election. Election Defenders will be part of a team of 200 people that will recruit & develop 1,000 grassroots SURJ leaders who will move 100,000 people to take sustained and visible action

  • As and Election Defender, you will take action on election day or after election day.

When you sign up you’ll get:

  • Training on key steps and skills needed to take action. Updated information and analysis of post-election terrain.

  • Guidance from trainers on planning local visibility actions such as holding election officials accountable or defending them from harassment, defend voters against intimidation from law enforcement and white supremacists, and call out Trump and the GOP's attempts to suppress votes and disrupt the election.

  • Resources to help you plan your actions and recruit people into action with you.

  • Connection to hundreds of other leaders across the SURJ network to build community and provide mutual support.

Election Defender Commitment:

  • Take action during or after the election.

  • If you aren't able to take on this role but would still like to volunteer click here.

For more information about SURJ's Theory of Change click here.