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You might not like the results of Tuesday’s election. You might not even have the full results right away. It won’t be foul play. It won’t be a conspiracy. It will be democracy.
Some things are worth waiting for. Some things are worth being part of, even when we don’t get our way. Participation in our constitutional republic is such a thing. Delayed results and even unfavorable results are a small price to pay for the freedom and self determination that come with the chance to choose our own leaders.
The ability to cast a meaningful vote and help shape the course of our country is a rare thing across the scope of human history. Monarchs, militaries, dictators and autocrats have often set the terms for the people, rather than the people choosing for themselves.
For generations, our free and fair elections in the U.S. have been the envy of the world. Not because they have been without blemish or lapses in judgment, but because they traded the judgment of a few for the judgment of all.
That envy was significantly eroded in 2020, when a violent mob of Donald Trump’s supporters descended on the U.S. Capitol and upended our tradition of a peaceful transfer of power. The political violence sadly did not abate there, with two horrific attempts on Trump’s life this year.
A string of hoax “swatting” calls on Tuesday that reported threats of armed shooters at several Maine schools brought alarm and unease, though it was not immediately clear if those calls were related to Election Day. The Maine State Police determined those calls to be not credible Tuesday morning.
Heading into Tuesday’s end to the campaigning between Trump and Kamala Harris, Trump and his allies have already shown signs of revisiting the playbook of falsely claiming a premature victory and falsely claiming fraud — a playbook that culminated in violence four years ago.
Now must be the time that we turn back from the brink, together, and recommit ourselves to peace in our political realm. It is a time that requires patience with the process and a patriotic recognition that sometimes we don’t get what we want in our democratic system. Sometimes, a majority of our fellow Americans disagree with us on how to best proceed with our government.
As frustrating, and perhaps even inefficient as this can be, it is far better than the alternative. If we delude ourselves into thinking that elections are only valid when our preferred candidate has won, we have given up on the American experiment and found our way back to a form of tyranny.
There will be claims of fraud and malfeasance in the next few days. Some have already started. But American elections do not, must not, hinge on rumor and innuendo. Laws, facts and the objective math of tallying votes cast must win out over self-serving claims that give breath to more anger and division.
In alarming and sadly foreboding comments during a 2020 debate, Trump told a far-right extremist group to “stand back and stand by.” Members of that group went on to play prominent roles in the violence of Jan. 6.
In the coming days and weeks, with a high potential for uncertainty and unease, we’ll say this to everyone: Stand back, and let democracy work.
Reject any intimidation, threats of violence or actual violence. Let election clerks count the ballots. Let judges review any legal challenges, and assess them on their merits. Let your fellow Americans have their voices heard. Be peaceful, be patient and be kind to each other. America’s strength comes not from one candidate or ideology, but from our collective ability to choose our future together.
