Use When
Polling places are closed or hours cut in targeted areas.
Purges, long lines, or intimidation occurs.
Captured judiciaries alter elections to favor one political party.
Instructions
- 1
Document the harm: Gather photos, affidavits, and public records of the closure or access barrier to anchor your demand in verifiable evidence.
- 2
Define your single ask: Name one concrete remedy — restore the site, extend hours, add equipment — so every message stays tightly focused.
- 3
Secure permits early: Research your city's requirements for street marches and sound amplification; file applications as soon as your date is confirmed.
- 4
Map a meaningful route: Plot a safe, accessible path from the affected polling site to city hall or the election board, visually connecting harm to decision-makers.
- 5
Assign core roles: Designate a lead coordinator, trained marshals, legal observers, medics, chant leaders, and a media lead before any public announcement.
- 6
Build a coalition: Contact faith groups, student networks, unions, disability-rights organizations, and multilingual partners early to broaden legitimacy and turnout.
- 7
Craft your message: Prepare high-contrast signs, a brief program built around personal voter stories, and a formal demand letter to the relevant official.
- 8
Train your marshals: Run a de-escalation session covering crowd pacing, compliance pivots, exit routes, and an emergency-text system.
- 9
Promote the action: Share event details across social media, community listservs, and partner channels; equip allies with a one-page flier and talking points.
- 10
Execute with discipline: Launch on time, maintain steady pacing, and station designated spokespeople along the route for press interviews.
- 11
Deliver demands publicly: Present your letter to officials on camera; collect affidavits or signatures at the destination for legal follow-up.
- 12
Amplify and follow up: Post clips, testimonies, and a press release the same day; debrief within 48 hours and schedule a next action to sustain pressure.
Historic Parallels
- Selma–Montgomery, USA, 1965, voting-rights marches; national attention helped drive passage of the Voting Rights Act.
- Phoenix, USA, 2016, marches after hours-long lines; state expanded ballot-counting resources and early voting access.
- Atlanta, USA, 2020, county marches from closed sites; emergency ballot-cure outreach and added equipment followed.
Selma–Montgomery, USA, 1965, voting-rights marches; national attention helped drive passage of the Voting Rights Act.Modern Examples
- A dawn march from a closed precinct to the election board, delivering affidavits and demanding emergency weekend voting.
- A “line relief to city hall” procession with mobile ballot-cure stations and a QR to a rides-to-polls signup.
- A campus-to-courthouse march linking ID barriers to a student early-vote site reopening ask.
Participants
Individual
No
150–500 marchers with 1 lead coordinator, 15–20 marshals, 4 legal observers, 2 medics, 1 media team, and trained chant/safety captains per block.
Helpful Materials
- High-contrast signs and banners
- Route maps
- Megaphones
- Reflective vests
- De-escalation cue cards
- QR placards to rides
- Ballot-cure and complaint forms
References
Use of Action Playbook educational materials must adhere with Unruled Masses’ Terms of Service.
Stay Nonviolent. Coordinate Strategically. Take Back Your Power.