Make an Election Safety Plan

This election year is unprecedented and as part of my mission at Sensitive Empowerment, I want to help you and others create a safety plan.

The following resources are from Nicole Cardoza with Anti-Racism Daily

Take Action

• Go through the Safety Checklist for November and make your plan. You can go to File > Make a Copy to create your own editable version without bothering the organizers that created it!

• Encourage your family, friends and colleagues do the same.

• Take care of yourself this week.

Get Educated

Regardless of who wins in this week’s election, it's likely that the coming weeks will be chaotic. 

Activists and extremists alike from both the right and the left fear what could happen this election and are preparing for what's to come (The Atlantic). As a result, businesses are hiring security. Streets are boarding up their storefronts. Gun sales are up. And police departments are staffing up. And although a tiny percentage of people actually support violence, it doesn't take many incite it (more on this via Brookings).

It's important to note how this violence is likely to most impact marginalized communities – the essential workers that don't have a choice not to go to work. The low-wage workers that aren't given Election Day off. The people of color most likely to be targeted by racial violence from the right. The people that rely on public transportation that could be disrupted by protests. If you have the privilege not to be directly impacted by the election violence, it is your responsibility to protect their well-being. 

This isn't meant to fear-monger. I simply want us all to prepare how best to respond. This year has been filled with catastrophes for the U.S., often with little or no time to prepare; the first wave of COVID-19 was mismanaged by our government, causing cases to skyrocket and responses to feel jumbled and disorganized. The rise of protests in response to the murder of George Floyd happened immediately (although not without warning; if you've been attuned to the decades of unchecked police brutality in the U.S., you were likely unsurprised).

The small glimmer of hope I see this time around is that we have precious time to prepare a response. So, let's do so. Planning for the election is not just exercising your right to vote (if you have one) or your way to contribute if you couldn't vote. It shouldn't be your default response when participating in our democratic process. But it needs to be today – and honestly, we should be 

The first part of preparing is to prepare yourself. This is not to center your needs above those more marginalized. This is about ensuring you are resourced enough to do the most. Make your self-care plan. 

Then get clarity on what it looks like to protect your community. The checklist offers ways to help from a wide range of perspectives: you can organize politically to defend polling sites, passing out food and water in places with long lines, or offer rides to people in your community. You can organize logistically by offering food, money, and other tangibles to those worried about leaving their homes in the coming weeks. You can also get prepared to participate or defend any protests that may unfold in the weeks ahead. The checklist includes links to upcoming trainings and virtual gatherings you can join – and I recommend subscribing for future events that may be scheduled as things unfold.

If anything, perhaps this plan will bring you and your community some ease and relief as the weeks unfold. But at most, it can save lives. Whatever you do, an extra day of planning won't hurt. In addition, this plan can act as a helpful template for other issues that may arise outside of the election, like an environmental disaster, looming COVID-19 lockdowns, or other political unrest. Regardless of our political beliefs, we must remember that we are all in this together. Violence this election serves no one. Commit to serving your community with love and solidarity.

Key Takeaways

• State and local governments, organizers, activists and extremists are worried about election violence over the coming weeks

• Creating a plan is critical for your self-care, but to support and protect the people around you – especially those most marginalized

• Take some time to prepare now, and keep this election safety checklist in your back pocket for whenever a response to crisis is needed

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