From Fear to Safety: How Community Action Prevents Electoral Violence 

Megan Rodgers, Will Wallace, and Amy Hansen 

As summer draws to an end and election day inches closer and closer, public opinion polls have revealed that two-thirds of Americans are concerned about the threat of violence surrounding the 2024 U.S. Elections. This fear is understandable as headlines highlighting “America’s Political Violence Crisis” and attacks against elected officials dominate the headlines. These threats are particularly concerning to groups who have historically faced high levels of marginalization and voter suppression. These threats should be taken seriously as the presence of, often armed, protestors at polling stations dissuades marginalized groups from going to the polls and leads poll workers to fear for their safety.  

In response to these fears, it is crucial that communities come together to proactively plan for nonviolent, de-escalatory engagement that protects voters, poll workers and the credibility of our democracy. Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) methodologies that apply principles of nonviolence and community organizing in order to protect civic space have proven to be effective across the globe and have the capacity to prevent and mitigate violence during the 2024 U.S. Elections.  

Leading up to the 2020 U.S. Elections, a group of community organizations and individual volunteers came together to monitor polling stations and deter electoral violence throughout Minneapolis. In total, more than 250 volunteers and 100 poll captains were trained by Nonviolent Peaceforce in de-escalation, nonviolence, and Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) and were stationed throughout the city on election day in November to protect voters and support a peaceful electoral process. Following legal restrictions on distance and materials, volunteer teams set up tents and tables outside of polling stations with candy, handouts and other resources for voters. Volunteers constantly assessed the safety situation and monitored threats through an extensive online Early Warning, Early Response network with a designated team tracking online threats and potential risks, compiling information from volunteers, and advising on safety precautions.  

Across the city tensions were high on election day, with clear signs of division, credible threats of violence and the potential for frustrations among voters to escalate quickly. In South Minneapolis, at least 50 trucks and cars with campaign flags drew attention by driving down the interstate, aggressively weaving in and out of the traffic, causing traffic jams and placing other drivers in danger. Volunteers were first greeted with skepticism and distrust by voters alarmed by an external group outside polling stations. However, after further dialogue, voters came to understand the volunteers’ purpose and expressed gratitude for their presence. This miscommunication underlines the importance of proactive community engagement and awareness raising before election day efforts. 

Will Wallace, the Youth Services Director of Emerge at that time, led young men from North Minneapolis neighborhoods to provide protection at two polling locations in their community. The youth were treated with respect and Wallace found the day to be a powerful moment for youth, who are often blamed for violence and destruction in the community, to defy stereotypes and demonstrate their capacity and commitment to keeping their neighbors safe. Reflecting on his experience volunteering at the polls, Will highlights the historical context that frames his commitment to safe elections — “Being a Black man and coming from the South it took a lot at that time to be able to vote...that day felt like a historical moment.”  

Throughout the day, volunteers responded quickly to potentially escalatory situations, applying the skills and knowledge from their training to deescalate and prevent violence. In one particularly memorable moment, a man in a vehicle with a large Trump flag pulled up to the voting center in a Minneapolis neighborhood and parked in a manner that blocked the intersection. The driver jumped out of the car and went into the voting center, leaving a friend in the passenger seat. The scene immediately became tense as many community members feared violence from Trump supporters due to violent campaign rhetoric and threats of violence, and the positioning of the vehicle presented a direct safety concern. Volunteers immediately sprang into action, approaching the truck in a calm and open manner and explaining to the passenger, and the driver upon his return, the dangers of parking in such a manner and the importance of a safe space so that all could exercise their voting right without feeling threatened.  

While the initial volunteers were finding points of connection and building rapport with the truck driver, another man became very angry and approached the truck, accusing the driver of voter intimidation due to his political paraphernalia. Additional volunteers approached him and created space between the two men, ensuring that both were able to express their concerns without resorting to violence. Volunteers were successful in their engagements with both parties, protecting each of their rights to vote while also preventing violence and eventually convincing the driver to move his car. This is just one of the many examples of nonviolent de-escalation that occurred throughout the day, preventing the widespread violence that was feared and protecting the electoral process. This coordinated response also strengthened community bonds and volunteers opened up a space for community members to discuss their fears and provide practical solutions through measures such as offering a ride to a voter who felt unsafe taking public transit.  When multiplied across the city, these actions had a transformative effect that continued past election day. 

In the same way that community volunteers effectively prevented electoral violence across Minneapolis in 2020, community members have the capacity to protect the electoral process across the country in the upcoming 2024 U.S. Elections. A wide variety of activists and organizations are already training and equipping volunteers, ensuring that they have crucial protection and de-escalation skills to keep their communities safe. Long-term efforts must be made to address the deep divisions and overreliance on violence within our country, but in the meantime, engaged nonviolent strategies enacted by committed community members can help keep us safe and ensure that everyone is protected when exercising their right to vote this fall.