“Today we march, tomorrow we vote”
“Today we march, tomorrow we vote” was chanted at United States immigration reform protests on May 1, 2006. Many of the marchers said the slogan in Spanish—“Hoy Marchamos, Mañana Votamos.” Some critics noted that the slogan was said in Spanish, that many of the marchers carried Mexican (not American) flags during the chant, and that many marchers were illegal immigrants who legally couldn’t vote “tomorrow.”
“Today we march, tomorrow we vote” is still used as a get-out-the-vote slogan for immigrant families.
Wikipedia: 2006 United States immigration reform protests
In 2006, millions of people participated in protests over a proposed change to U.S. immigration policy. The protests began in response to proposed legislation known as H.R. 4437, which would raise penalties for Illegal immigration and classify undocumented immigrants and anyone who helped them enter or remain in the US as felons. As part of the wider immigration debate, most of the protests not only sought a rejection of this bill, but also a comprehensive reform of the country’s immigration laws that included a path to citizenship for all undocumented immigrants.
A major demonstration in Chicago on March 10, 2006 estimated at 100,000 people was the initial impetus for protests throughout the country. The largest single demonstration occurred in Los Angeles on March 25, 2006 with a march of more than 500,000 people through downtown. The largest nationwide day of protest occurred on April 10, 2006, in 102 cities across the country, with 350,000–500,000 in Dallas and around 300,000 in Chicago. Most of the protests were peaceful and attracted considerable media attention. Additional protests took place on May Day.
NBC News
1 million march for immigrants across U.S.
Nationwide boycotts, protests meant to underscore rising economic clout
NBC News and news services
updated 5/1/2006 10:56:41 PM ET
LOS ANGELES — More than 1 million mostly Hispanic immigrants and their supporters skipped work and took to the streets Monday, flexing their economic muscle in a nationwide boycott that succeeded in slowing or shutting many farms, factories, markets and restaurants.
From Los Angeles to Chicago, Houston to Miami, the “Day Without Immigrants” attracted widespread participation despite divisions among activists over whether a boycott would send the right message to Washington lawmakers considering sweeping immigration reform.
(...)
Many carried signs in Spanish that translated to “We are America” and “Today we march, tomorrow we vote.”
USA Today
Bush, first lady stump for GOP candidates
Updated 11/2/2006 7:20 AM ET
(...)
Meanwhile, a drive to register Hispanic voters, who tend to vote Democratic, has fallen short of expectations. The campaign to register 1 million foreign-born voters signed up 146,000 people, said Germonique Jones of the Center for Community Change. The registration drive followed large protests by Latinos this summer angered by proposed House legislation to stem illegal immigration.
“People were waving signs, ‘Today we march, tomorrow we vote,’ but that may not be something that’s literally tomorrow,” said Lionel Sosa, a Republican political strategist who heads Mexicans & Americans Thinking Together, a Web-based group.
Google Books
The Right Opinion:
A Heretic’s Voice from the Ivory Tower
By Mathew Manweller
Lincoln, NE: iUniverse
2007
Pg. 52:
A few months ago, thousands of non-citizens waived Mexican flags in the streets chanting “today we march, tomorrow we vote” and everyone heard the chilling threat in that statement except residents of the White House.
Google Books
Introduction to Latino Politics in the U.S.
By Lisa Garcia Bedolla
Cambridge: Polity
2009
Pg. 186:
After the marches, the participating groups began the ‘Hoy Marchamos, Mañana Votamos/Today we march, tomorrow we vote’, campaign, which was meant to focus on registering Latinos to vote and on determining them to turn up for the 2008 elections.
Google Books
The Ethnic Dimension in American History
By James S. Olson and Heather Olson Beal
Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell
2010
Pg. 281:
In the immigrant rights demonstrations of 2006 some participants chanted “Ahora marchamos, manaña votamos!” (Today we march, tomorrow we vote!) and provided a nightmare scenario to Republicans.