|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Dozens of Midpeninsula residents took to the streets in Mountain View on Wednesday to demand that every vote be counted in the 2020 election, following concerns that President Donald Trump may try to subvert a fair election process and a peaceful transition of power.
The protest at the corner of El Camino Real and San Antonio Road was one of numerous events taking place across the Bay Area on Nov. 4, responding to what organizers describe as worrying statements from the president. In recent days, Trump has challenged the validity of mail-in ballots and has floated the idea of prematurely halting the vote count.
Trump on election night tweeted without basis that the Democratic party is attempting to “steal” the election — a post that has since been hidden by the social media company for containing false or misleading statements.
Protesters held signs that read “Don’t let democracy die” and “protect the results,” one suggesting the possibility of a coup here in America. Among those protesters was Mountain View resident Mark Lentczner, who said he felt compelled to join in after seeing Trump’s statements. He said the president may seek to forestall the election or, even worse, try to take it by force.
Lentczner said it’s strange to be at a point where the country is debating whether or not to count votes, and that he does not believe Trump’s comments should be disregarded as empty threats.
“Even if the electoral count decides a winner, we have an administration that is filing lawsuits as we speak,” he said.
The local rally is part of the “Protect the Results” movement, which has yet to call for a coordinated nationwide protest. Still, local organizers decided to move forward with the protest early Wednesday evening to “honor the valid results of the 2020 election” and stand up for a fair electoral process, according to a statement by the organizers.
“With every tweet and refusal to commit to accepting the legitimate results of the 2020 election, Trump seeks to stoke chaos and fear,” the statement said.
As of 3 p.m., former Vice President Joe Biden had a sizable lead in the presidential race, with 70.7 million votes and a projected 253 Electoral College votes, while Trump had 67.4 million votes and a projected 214 Electoral College votes. Key states that had not been called for either candidate include Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona and North Carolina.
Palo Alto resident Stephen Rosenblum, who helped organize the event, said the goal of the protest is to simply support that all votes be counted in the election, warning that Trump has no qualms with violating custom and legality to get what he wants. Rosenblum said he has no doubt that Trump won’t go quietly, and that there is a real possibility that he might take action to prevent the duly elected president from taking office.
Rosenblum said he is nearly 80 years old and has been through numerous presidencies, but he has never seen an election like this before.
“It’s just a very unusual time for our country right now,” he said.
Other events taking place Wednesday include an all-day event at San Jose City Hall with protesters — including reverend and rabbi speakers — demanding a peaceful transition of power.
The larger network of more than 150 organizations called off coordinated nationwide protest on Wednesday, Rosenblum said, in large part because Trump has yet to take any egregious action. He said Trump had made scary statements on election night, like falsely contending that ballots counted after Nov. 3 could be fraudulent or that Michigan’s election results may be fixed, but so far has yet to actually act on any of those comments.
“The president hasn’t really done anything except threaten lawsuits to stop counting the ballots, but so far we haven’t really seen any substantive effort to stop the proper ballot-counting process,” Rosemblum said. “I’m feeling less anxious than I did yesterday.”
So why move forward with the protest? Rosenblum said he felt it was important to give people the opportunity to attend a post-election demonstration and let their voices be heard on an election that has left many feeling anxious and uneasy. No fiery speeches over speakerphones, Rosenblum said, but enough to solicit support from cars passing by.
“We want to let people know that we’re here to support democracy, and if they agree they can honk back.”
-
Demonstrators demand every vote be counted in the 2020 election in Mountain View on Nov. 4. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
Demonstrator Leif Erickson holds up a “Count Every Vote” sign as part of a “Protect the Results” organized rally in Mountain View on Nov. 4. Photo by Olivia Treynor. -
A couple wear signs that declare “Count All the Votes” and “Protect Democracy” at a “Protect the Results” demonstration in Mountain View on Nov. 4. Photo by Olivia Treynor. -
A protester holds a sign that reads “Count Every Vote.” Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
“Protect the Results” demonstrators stand on the corner of San Antonio Road and El Camino Real in Mountain View on Nov. 4. Photo by Olivia Treynor.
The Protect the Vote demonstrations on November 4 were numerous around the USA including many in the Bay Area….I participated in one on El Camoino Real in San Mateo where about 100 people lined both sides of the street and numerous vehiclesdrove by honking support while viewing our signs! The Peninsula communities are speaking out to preserve our precious right to vote and save our Democracy! History is watching!