This toolkit is designed for use in all 50 states. All designs are in the public domain and anyone is welcome to use them.  Depending on time, resources and finances, things can be done DIY or outsourced.

MESSAGING: All eyes are on the United States Post Office whose survival is under threat by Trump and the Republican - controlled Senate who want to make voting as arduous as possible.

To combat this there are numerous pieces of legislation under consideration, including the forward-thinking Postal Banking Act of 2018, introduced by Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Republicans however have buried it in the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The Senate is likely to vote on the HEROES Act in July 2020; the version passed by the House contains $25 billion in funding to the USPS.

Because the situation is in flux, we have chosen to take a general path to raise awareness of the issue. The US Postal Service is our original essential service dedicated to the public good and embedded in the constitution. The US Postal Service enables a free press and delivers vital medications, paychecks, love letters, and benefits. It connects us all. And, more critically than ever before, the Postal Service provides access to the ballot box via vote by mail. Our democracy depends on it. 

ACTIONS

POSTCARDS

Flood the House and Senate with postcards.

1. Design your own or use the designs below; either print at home or send to an online print shop.

[To download, click on the image and then right click or control click and save it.]

We have found the following to be reliable and reasonably priced:

PostcardsRus VistaPrint GotPrint Staples FedEx

2. OR Go directly to this link on Pushcards.com where you will find the card on file. For $1.49 per card they address and send the card for you.  Please send one to each of your senators and your representative (3 postcards total)

3. OR Email us your name, address and quantity of postcards you would like and we will mail them to you.

SIDEWALK CHALKING

We have found this to be one of the most gratifying actions we have done. Postal workers are thrilled and grateful. We use sidewalk chalk that is available in most stationery stores. The chalk disappears with rain so try to time your chalking for days when there are a few clear days ahead or under an overhang. We chalk at mailboxes and post offices. We write things like:

SAVE THE POST OFFICE

THANK YOU POSTAL WORKERS

WE ❤️ POSTAL WORKERS

USPS ESSENTIAL FOREVER

PROTECT VOTE BY MAIL

Blast social media with images of chalking at your post office and let everyone know where you are!  Post with the following hashtags:

#USPSEssentialForever #SaveThePostOffice #ProtectVoteByMail

STICKERS

Stickers can be ordered from most online printers; feel free to use our design below or design your own. Uncoated eggshell stickers (available at primoprint.com among others) are the hardest to remove from surfaces, so we recommend those if you don’t want your stickers to be removed.  If you do want them to be removed, just get standard coated stickers. Note that placing stickers on public or private property may not be legal in your jurisdiction so please make yourself aware of local laws before stickering on property that is not yours.

[To download, click on the image and then right click or control click and save it.]

HAND HELD POSTERS 

Human billboards/silent vigils/holding space is extremely effective when done in strategic places like public plazas near the seat of governmental power. Be aware of your local COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings and determine strategies in advance in case law enforcement interferes. Vigils can be held regularly at a set time for a limited duration. Encourage a passersby to take photos and post them on social media with the hashtags:

#USPSEssentialForever #SaveThePostOffice #ProtectVoteByMail #USPSIsEssential

[To download, click on the image and then right click or control click and save it.]

BANNERS

Feel free to use our banner below. It’s designed to be 3’ x 12’, with one person on each end and a person in the center, 6’ apart from the others. 

[To download, click on the image and then right click or control click and save it.]

DIY BANNERS

Banners can be ordered from the online printers listed above or made at home.

Materials for black banners / white lettering are: scissors, newspapers or craft paper, pencils, white crayons or marking pencils, yardsticks / rulers / measuring tape, painter’s tape, gaffers tape, fabric (landscaping fabric from any hardware store or garden supply store works well for white on black or brown banners). We've had success with Lowes Sta-Green Ultimate Landscape Fabric 3-ft x 50-ft. Fabric should allow 15” for each letter and space and at each end.

Make the letters. Count the number of letters and cut newspapers or craft paper into 12” x 15” pieces.

Draw your letters and cut them out. San-serif is recommended.

Lay them out. Draw a grid on your fabric: 15” for each letter and space and at each end. 

Tape each letter onto the fabric with painter’s tape. 

Trace with crayon or marking pencil and remove.

Apply gaffers or duct tape. We have found white duct tape the easiest and fastest way to do the letters. Once you have someone layout and trace others can simply tear and fill in. Take special care around the curved edges of letters like c, b, d, o, etc.

Make the gromets and attach the ties. Fold 6” strips of black gorilla/gaffers/duct tape over the top and bottom corners of the banner and at intervals of approximately 3 feet in-between. Crease each in the center and cut a small triangle to punch holes and put in loops of rope, string or cloth for handles. Length and thickness depend on use.

Weight the bottom. If the banner is hand held, a simple tie that reaches the ground to hold with one’s foot will suffice

For stealth actions, create pockets on the ends and every three feet that can hold two sponges each. Wet and insert the sponges once inside the venue.

POSTER AND BANNER ACTIONS IN THE ERA OF SOCIAL DISTANCING

1. One person places the banner on the ground and unfurls it (one helper to spread the far end if it’s windy)

2. One person places the posters, making certain they are at least 6 feet apart

3. Banner people go to their holding spots, making certain they are at least 6 feet apart

4. Poster people go to their posters

5. Photographer snaps photo