Protect the Results is a coalition of left-of-center and left-wing nonprofits which is preparing to non-violently resist President Donald Trump if he refuses to leave office should he lose the 2020 presidential election. The organization is a joint-project of Indivisible and Stand Up America, two left-of-center nonprofits created in 2016 to oppose the Trump administration.
Protect the Results bases its concern over Trump holding power on comments the president has made and the reports of the Transition Integrity Project (TIP), a left-of-center election-outcome simulation project. TIP proposed a high degree of political and social instability after the election and that President Trump will likely contest the results by legal or extra-legal means. According to Protect the Results’ public tool kit as of late October 2020, the odds of the organization enacting its anti-Trump operations are “high.” 1
Protect the Result lists no leader, but Emily Phelps of Indivisible and Ryan Thomas from Stand Up America are listed as the organization’s press contacts. 2
Strategy
For months leading up to the election, Protect the Results has coordinated with partner groups to recruit members and organize local chapters. As of October 29, there are 433 chapters across the United States. These chapters are encouraged to follow Protect the Results’ toolkit which provides guidance for recruitment and organizing chapter members into designated roles such as “logistics captain” and “media liaison.” Tactics are also provided for identifying and removing infiltrators and trolls from chapters. 3
On Election Day, Protect the Results may “activate” the chapters by email as early as the afternoon, at which point 433 protests would launch across the country simultaneously. The trigger for activation isn’t necessarily President Trump refusing to accept the results of the election, but any indication of uncertainty about the electoral results, which might stem from uncertainty over ballot counting or efforts by President Trump to sow confusion. 4
The chapters are intended to hold non-violent demonstrations of support for the democratic process to indicate a mass unwillingness to accept President Trump retaining office. The toolkit focuses on the support of local elected officials, electoral officials, and Congressmen. Protect the Result’s toolkit asks people to be prepared to protest into January or longer to deny President Trump’s legitimacy. 5
Protesters are also warned against Trump using the military or right-wing paramilitary violence against protesters. Protect the Results uses data from the Institute for Constitution Advocacy and Protection to provide its chapters with information on militia groups located in all 50 states and the legal limits of their activity. Protect the Results also encourages its members to use de-escalation tactics developed by Greenpeace to reduce the risk of violence. 6
Partner Organizations
Protect the Results lists 148 partner organizations, all of whom are responsible for recruiting people to oppose President Trump if he does not leave office. The partners include:7
- 350.org
- Bend the Arc Jewish Action
- Choose Democracy
- Color of Change PAC
- Demos Action
- Greenpeace
- MoveOn.org
- New Florida Majority
- New Virginia Majority
- Planned Parenthood
- Republicans for the Rule of Law
- Sierra Club
- Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
- Voto Latino
- Women’s March
References
- “Protect the Results Event Host Toolkit.” Protect the Results. Accessed October 29, 2020. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OsDAnLJVXEASVnbdp1oJYipBBfGuGEPuqmzHFLtq6EA/edit.
- ““Protect the Results” Expands To 80 Groups As Coalition Prepares To Mobilize Should Trump Contest Election.” Indivisible. September 1, 2020. Accessed October 29, 2020. https://indivisible.org/statement/protect-results-expands-80-groups-coalition-prepares-mobilize-should-trump-contest.
- “Find an Event Near You.” Protect the Results. Accessed October 29, 2020. https://protecttheresults.com/.
- “Find an Event Near You.” Protect the Results. Accessed October 29, 2020. https://protecttheresults.com/.
- “Find an Event Near You.” Protect the Results. Accessed October 29, 2020. https://protecttheresults.com/.
- “Protect the Results Event Host Toolkit.” Protect the Results. Accessed October 29, 2020. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OsDAnLJVXEASVnbdp1oJYipBBfGuGEPuqmzHFLtq6EA/edit.
- “Meet Our Partners.” Protect the Results. Accessed October 29, 2020. https://protecttheresults.com/partners.