WASHINGTON – More than 1,000 puppeteers and public broadcasting supporters have signed on for a march on the National Mall in Washington three days before the election.

The so-called Million Puppet March being planned online is scheduled for Nov. 3. By Wednesday morning, more than 1,000 participants had responded on Facebook, saying they would attend.

It comes after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s remarks during a presidential debate calling for the elimination of funding for PBS, which airs the popular children’s show “Sesame Street.”

Organizers originally called the event a Million Muppet March. But they note that they’ve changed the name to include sock puppets, hand puppets, marionettes, shadow puppets and mascots.