Oct 28, 2020 4 min read

Most Americans are ready for this election to be over. But it’s likely that we will need to wait longer than normal for the results. Thousands of elections officials, our fellow citizens and community members need time to count every ballot with strong dedication to a fair and impartial process. While we wait, we have a civic duty to remain calm and peaceful.

Many of us have already voted or made a plan to vote. The next step is planning our response to the election. First, remember that the reason results will be delayed this year is clear and uncontroversial: because of the pandemic, millions of voters are choosing alternative voting methods, specifically early voting or mail-in/absentee ballots. Absentee ballots have been used reliably by the American military for 140 years. We can trust this process to provide impartial and accurate results.

However, no election is problem-free. We are already seeing legal challenges to this election, and more lawsuits are expected. It is likely that problems will be reported in some places before, during, or after Election Day. These lawsuits and reports are not necessarily cause for alarm. If problems occur, there are laws in place to address them, and justice will prevail.

With regards to voter fraud, there is no evidence to suggest that it has been or is now a widespread issue. A commission convened by President Trump to investigate the 2016 election reported that voter fraud, including with mail-in/absentee ballots, is negligible. The FBI agrees with these findings. We have well-established mechanisms to guard against fraud, and with the level of attention the 2020 election is getting, it’s very unlikely voter fraud will be a major problem this year. Furthermore, the only way voter fraud can call election results into question is if the number of potentially fraudulent votes are greater than the margin of victory. This is also unlikely.

Of greater concern is the fear of voter intimidation and post-election violence. According to democracyforpresident.com, 71% of all Americans are concerned about violence in the wake of the 2020 election. This is no surprise given societal polarization, the rise in militia activity on both the left and right, an increase in hate speech and rhetoric, and a pandemic-related recession that has put more than 40 million people out of work. Anxiety and tensions are high, but violence is never an acceptable way to resolve any issue. Research by Harvard professor Erica Chenoweth suggests that nonviolent campaigns are more successful at achieving long-term social change than violent means.

Despite what you might see or hear, 68% of Americans are exhausted by division in our country and see attempts to factionalize citizens as a threat to our democracy. Disinformation and intentionally misleading information will continue to spread after the election. Anxiety, fear, and violence may occur. Like a virus, these things are all contagious. If you really want to make this country better, do your part to stop the spread. Protest peacefully. Contact your elected representatives. Strengthen relationships across party lines. Forcefully and publicly reject polarizing language, hate speech and rhetoric, disinformation, and incitement of violence.

As Americans, we should cherish our heritage as the inventors of modern democracy. We were the first country in the modern world with an elected head of state and a commitment by candidates to accept the will of the people. This invention has brought peace and prosperity to countries emulating our example around the world. Every generation before us has done their duty to keep our democracy strong. Now it’s on us to do the same. Make a plan now to stay calm, to trust in and support the results of the election, to fight disinformation or unsubstantiated claims, and to contain the spread of violence. Protecting democracy is the responsibility of all citizens, and now is the time this protection is needed most.

The Rev. Erik Hoeke is pastor of Avery United Methodist Church in North Franklin and a South Strabane resident.