From countering divisive rhetoric to enhancing community-centric safety skills, voters themselves are showing what it looks like to protect against election violence. Tackling divisive rhetoric, strengthening community-led safety skills and adeptly navigating the evolving landscape shaped by the 2024 election cycle is essential. We must invest time, energy and resources to reinforce nonviolent, civilian-led safety endeavors — rather than accepting violence and deepening securitization.
It is essential that this undertaking begins with community-based systems for safety, which means adopting a forward-thinking, constructive strategy rooted in relationships. By reinforcing the connections that bind us together, neighbors can come together to control rumors, provide protective presence, receive training in violence de-escalation, interrupt violence and more. This is not a new approach, and there is precedent. Creating pockets of safety during elections has been done from Nigeria to Myanmar to the United States.
Let’s do things in a human rights based approach.