Protesters gathered in downtown Boston and Roxbury the night after election day to rally in support of a fair ballot count. Though former Vice President Joe Biden appeared Wednesday to take the lead in Electoral College votes, 253 to 214, after winning Michigan and Wisconsin, President Trump prematurely declared victory Tuesday evening.
Appearing increasingly desperate, Trump’s campaign sought to stop vote counting in Pennsylvania and Michigan and demanded a recount in Wisconsin.
In cities across the country, demonstrators took to the streets to demand a fair and full count of all ballots in every state. In Boston, activists with ACLU Massachusetts, Sunrise Movement Boston and a coalition of grassroots movements gathered at the Parkman Bandstand on the Boston Common.
Demonstrators in Copley Square. Banner photo
There, NAACP Boston President Tanisha Sullivan announced a long list of community organizers and leaders who spoke about a fair count, in opposition to President Trump’s efforts to discredit mail-in ballots.
“Our primary focus is on making sure that every vote counts. And I want to be clear, that’s not a partisan issue,” Sullivan said. “The cornerstone of our democracy is the rights of every citizen to cast their ballots, free and clear, without obstruction. “Count Every Vote” rallies also occurred in cities such as Northampton, Detroit, Philadelphia and New York City.
Dorchester resident Yaritza Dudley addresses demonstrators in Copley Square. Banner photo
Senator Ed Markey, fresh off his reelection victory, spoke to the crowd about America’s history of close elections and recounts.
“Donald Trump does not want every vote counted,” he said. “Donald Trump has used his control of the post office to pass a cloud over this election. Every vote must count. We are going to make sure that happens in 2020.”
Several other speakers spoke to the same sentiment, representing groups including Indivisible Mass Coalition, the Chinese Progressive Association and Violence in Boston.
CPA’s executive director, Karen Chen, informed the crowd of action they can take while they wait for the count to complete. She urged the crowd to call their state legislators and channel election anxiety into action.
Later at 6 p.m., a crowd of hundreds met in Nubian Square before marching to Copley Square.
Demonstrators used several chants common to this summer’s anti-police violence protests: “No Trump, no KKK, no racist USA.”
