350 Mass joins with many other organizations in calling on people to get ready to resist an illegitimate power grab with massive peaceful protests, and to insist that all votes be counted.  History teaches that responding promptly with massive peaceful protests – such as demonstrations, strikes, and other forms of nonviolent resistance - is the most effective way to resist a coup. 

Hopefully that will not be necessary. If the results are clear enough by the end of election night to lock up a majority of the Electoral College votes, that probably would deter any coup-like activity. We may wake on November 4 knowing who our next President will be, and the results of many other important races.

Or not. 

President Trump has expressed a disturbing willingness to ignore the popular vote - for example, demanding that the election results be decided on election night, without waiting for all the mail-in ballots to be counted. He has repeatedly alleged that such ballots can’t be trusted. Political leaders in some battleground states have already discussed the possibility of rejecting the popular vote as too fraud-ridden to be binding, and appointing their own chosen set of electors to the Electoral College!

So, how can you and others get ready?

1. Save the date! Be ready to show up Nov. 4 (and possibly beyond).
2. Take this pledge, sign this petition to Governor Baker, and ask your friends to do the same.
3. RSVP here to the rally on Boston Common currently planned for 3:30 pm on Nov. 4, or enter your zip code and choose another event near you. (RSVP in order to get updates.)
4. Pick a buddy – or a squad – to go with you. (More safe, more fun.)

Want more background? Sign up for the webinar How to Beat an Election-Related Power Grab (offered nightly Oct. 25 - 30). 

Willing to help out the Boston rally? Email David at dbklafter@gmail.com if you have been trained as a marshall or peacekeeper. You can register here for online marshal training this Wednesday, 10/28, 5-7 pm (for both first-timers and those with experience; will separate into breakout rooms based on experience).  And potentially useful for anyone: Nonviolent action training (basic skills for mass mobilizations; offered every night Oct. 25 – Nov. 3)

Spread the word! Share this document or otherwise make people aware & ready. Think about a broad reach, not just to known progressives & political activists. Such peaceful protests succeed when they include the “center”, not just the left. 

In collaboration with Act On Mass, 350 Mass collected thousands of signatures to get two non-binding public policy questions on 19 and 16 districts' ballots. The first of these ballot questions address the need to set the goal of 100% renewable energy statewide by 2040.

The full text of this ballot question reads:

Shall the representative for this district be instructed to vote in favor of legislation that would require Massachusetts to achieve 100% renewable energy use within the next two decades, starting immediately and making significant progress within the first five years while protecting impacted workers and businesses?

Bills to bring MA to 100% renewable energy have been repeatedly killed in committee over the last 6 years. This is why we are also fighting for transparency in committee votes.

The text of the transparency ballot question reads:

Shall the representative for this district be instructed to vote in favor of changes to the Legislature's rules that would make the results of all votes in Legislative committees publicly available on the Legislature's website?

Instituting transparency would hold lawmakers accountable to their constituents. Many other important bills have been killed behind closed doors in committee, including Election Day Registration, the Safe Communities Act, and the Healthy Youth Act.

The renewable energy question will appear in 19 districts: 

• Dave Rogers (24th Middlesex)
• Kenneth Gordon (21st Middlesex)
• Nika Elugardo (15th Suffolk)
• Marjorie Decker (25th Middlesex)
• Tom Golden (16th Middlesex)
• Mike Moran (18th Suffolk)
• Kevin Honan (17th Suffolk)
• Ruth Balser (12th Middlesex)
• Kay Khan (11th Middlesex)
• Mindy Domb (3rd Hampshire)
• Paul McMurtry (11th Norfolk)
• Dan Carey (2nd Hampshire)
• Robert Deleo (19th Suffolk)
• Jonathan Hecht/Steve Owens (29th Middlesex)
• Denise Provost/ Erika Uyterhoeven (27th Middlesex)
• Tommy Vitolo (15th Norfolk)
• Elizabeth Malia (11th Suffolk)
• Ann Margaret Ferrante (5th Essex)
• Natalie Blais (1st Franklin)

And the transparency question will appear in 16:

• Kenneth Gordon (21st Middlesex)
• Nika Elugardo (15th Suffolk)
• Mike Moran (18th Suffolk)
• Kevin Honan (17th Suffolk)
• Ruth Balser (12th Middlesex)
• Kay Khan (11th Middlesex)
• Mindy Domb (3rd Hampshire)
• Paul McMurtry (11th Norfolk)
• Dan Carey (2nd Hampshire)
• Robert Deleo (19th Suffolk)
• Jonathan Hecht/Steve Owens (29th Middlesex)
• Denise Provost/ Erika Uyterhoeven (27th Middlesex)
• Tommy Vitolo (15th Norfolk)
• Elizabeth Malia (11th Suffolk)
• Ann Margaret Ferrante (5th Essex)
• Natalie Blais (1st Franklin)

Many residents are unaware that these questions will appear on their ballots. Use our digital toolkit to help spread the word.

We are targeting chair of the Telecommunications, Utilities & Energy Rep. Tom Golden's district with a door hanger literature drop campaign. Learn more about this action and join our team of volunteers to ensure the renewable energy question passes overwhelmingly in his district.

We are also hosting a "What's on the Ballot?" webinar on Monday, 10/19, from 7-8:30pm. Sign up to receive the zoom link!

This webinar will feature a panel of experts on the ballot questions concerning 100% renewable energy, transparency, and ranked-choice voting: 350 Mass' Cabell Eames and Ben Thompson, Act on Mass co-founders Matt Miller and Erika Uyterhoeven (who is also the Democratic nominee for the 27th Middlesex), and vice-chair of the Yes on 2 campaign Jim Henderson.