How Philadelphia activists are planning 'mass action' for the days following election
Dozens of Philadelphia progressive organizations are planning “mass action” and preparing protests for the days after the Nov. 3 election in the event of coordinated voter intimidation, mail-in ballot invalidation, or other electoral discord.
The local groups, which range from immigration advocates to clergy to liberal political activists, have signed on to an effort called “nobody comes for Philly,” a pledge to vote, then “not rest until our state counts every vote.” Activists have worked for months, holding Zoom calls to share information about potential voter suppression tactics and to lay plans to protest in the days after Nov. 3 to demand every vote be counted, mail-in or otherwise.
The mobilization is being publicized in part through Philly We Rise, an online clearinghouse for Philadelphia progressive activism that was founded after President Donald Trump’s election.
“This moment has been a crash course in how our electoral process works,” said Bryan Mercer, executive director of the Movement Alliance Project, a Philadelphia-based group that connects community organizations. "Unfortunately, all along the way of that process there are opportunities for forces that want to undermine democracy to do so.”
As for Election Day itself, the Working Families Party, a labor-aligned third party, has partnered with other national organizations to recruit “election defenders,” or volunteers who will be stationed outside polling locations to pass out water and personal protective equipment.
https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/philadelphia-election-progressive-activists-working-families-party-philly-we-rise-20201022.html
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