At the End of the Tunnel

As I write this on the evening of Tuesday, November 2, the outcome of the U.S. Presidential election is unknown.  It may be called later this evening or in a few days or even weeks.  Eventually, official vote counts will be certified.

When they take up the solemn task of counting votes, local officials swear an oath to uphold the Constitution; these are conscientious officials who work for days or weeks to prepare for the election and then intense days after to ensure that the results are fairly tabulated and presented. These folks are not “stealing” the election, but working to ensure an accurate count of the Americans who voted according to the law. 

The actual outcome of the election, who wins the Presidency, is no small matter.  Perhaps it is, as Joe Biden says, a contest over the soul of the country.  Certainly, the rule of law hangs in the balance, as does national engagement with international human rights.

Whatever the outcome in the next few days, we know already that the turnout was tremendous — the largest for a U.S. election in a century.  During a global pandemic, at a time when U.S. democracy sometimes seemed to be sputtering out, and where factions such as the Texas GOP and even the U.S. Postal Service did their darndest to ensure that votes would be diminished, Americans voted. What’s more, early assessments are that local voting mechanisms held up against the strain.

The outcome of the election is sure to displease many, no matter what happens, and it will have momentous consequences for the country.  But perhaps we can find common ground in our commitment to voting itself, and pride that so many Americans voted despite the odds stacked against them this year. Perhaps we can come together at least to say that those votes, of our fellow Americans, should be counted this year as they should be in every election.