The Paul Revere Project

In testimony before the January 6 Committee, retired federal judge J. Michael Luttig called the Trump-led efforts to overturn the 2020 election a “war on democracy” and noted that if it had gone their way, it would have plunged our country into a “paralyzing constitutional crisis.” This warning from a deeply respected conservative legal voice underscores what we’re up against in 2024. Because the perpetrators of the Big Lie did not give up—they got organized.

Election subversion will happen again

In 2020, the system was tested but held, because key leaders refused pressure to back fraudulent efforts to overturn the election. Here’s why we don’t take solace in that fact: The small cadre of Big Liars has now metastasized into a broader MAGA movement that ranges from national leaders to media figures to grassroots activists. They have carefully analyzed where their efforts failed and are focused on ousting everyone who prevented them from seizing power and installing sympathizers in their place.

Whether through intimidation, retirements, or primary challenges, the MAGA movement is purging the election administration and certification officials who thwarted their coup attempt in 2020. in the battleground states that will determine the next president, most of those patriotic leaders (including a huge number of nonpartisan citizens who administer local elections) are no longer serving. In their place, MAGA devotees are trying to install their allies, many running explicitly on the Big Lie that the previous election was stolen. If they succeed, the movement will have leaders in place ready to yield to demands to overturn valid results in 2024.

Subversion in 2024 will look different

Last time, driven by lies and exhortations from Trump, and angered that their pressure campaign had been thwarted, we saw the MAGA proponents turn to violence on January 6. As dark as that day was, we should be equally alarmed by the plot to accomplish the same outcome in a bloodless coup in 2024.

As we detail here, the MAGA movement is working to set up a system in which they cannot lose. Instead of the voters determining who wins, they are preparing to use bogus claims of fraud to toss out certified results and propose alternate slates of electors that would install their preferred candidate in place of yours.

Attacks on democracy hurt all Americans

The American way of life, an economy that is the envy of the world, and a system of checks and balances are built on the foundation of free and fair democratic elections. An America in which partisan politicians intervene to change vote totals and upend the peaceful transition of power would have devastating ramifications for our freedom and the global economy.

How do we protect our vote and our democracy?

When the legitimate votes of Americans are intentionally called into question, patriots cannot sit on the sidelines. There’s urgent work to safeguard democracy and the federal, state, and local level. And there’s a role for leaders in government, industry, entertainment, the media, and civic life.

STRENGTHEN FEDERAL GUARDRAILS

• Reform the Electoral Count Act.
  Key Group: Protect Democracy
• Appropriate significant funding for election administration.
  Key Group: Election Infrastructure Initiative

ELECT PRO-DEMOCRACY STATE LEADERS (OF EITHER PARTY)

• Elect and support governors, attorneys general, and secretaries of state who will oversee and administer elections fairly, and who will defend the will of the voters over the interests of a party or candidate.
  Key Groups: American Bridge PAC; Unite America

PROTECT BATTLEGROUND STATE ELECTION INTEGRITY

• Fight state legislative efforts to rewrite the rules of whose vote counts and promote laws to protect voter access and secure the integrity of the election.
  Key Group: Voting Rights Lab
• Fight election subversion efforts using litigation and provide legal support to help election officials respond to threats in real time.
  Key Group: Democracy Docket
• Recruit and train county and precinct election administration officials and poll workers who will safeguard these nonpartisan processes and ensure every vote is counted fairly.
  Key Group: Run for Something

HOLD AUTOCRATIC LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE

• Sound the alarm about the threat to democracy and help to ensure that civic groups, business leaders, media, and others pressuring public officials to accept and abide by electoral results.
  Key Group: Third Way
• Leverage private and philanthropic support of election funding and administration needs to secure a free and fair election.
  Key Group: Democracy Funders Network
• Equip reporters to cover the threat from autocratic candidates parroting baseless conspiracies.
  Key Group: Protect Democracy

The MAGA movement is profoundly anti-democratic, and they are executing a strategic plan to bend the American democracy away from justice and toward autocracy. It will take urgent and coordinated action on these four areas to protect our system of free and fair elections from these attacks and ensure that it is preserved for generations of Americans to come. We need your help.