CAPE COD – Would partisan Americans, in these volatile political times, accept their side losing a close presidential election?
What will happen if there is an extremely close presidential election (Think Gore v. Bush in 2000)? Will the losing side – either side – accept the result?
We asked Cape Cod former elected officials, party leaders, and non-party activists – liberals and conservatives – what they envision would happen in such a scenario.
Three Common Thoughts From Both Sides
1. Americans will do what they’ve always done and accept election results.
2. We would accept defeat. We don’t trust the other side to do the same.
3. There might be trouble, but it won’t be bad
Perspectives, Bubbles, & Hope From Both Sides
“It’s impossible for any of us to answer for half the country,” said Sandra Milano, President of the Cape and Islands Democratic Council. “I can only speak for myself,” she said.
“We are so divided,” said Laurie Veninger, the leader of Indivisible Outer Cape, which is part of the national progressive organization, Indivisible. Indivisible is working “to defend democracy and empower citizens to hold their elected officials accountable,” she said.
The election is Tuesday, November 3. CAPE COD WAVE PHOTO
“We are so accustomed to our own bubbles that if something happens outside of it that we’re not aware of, it shocks us,” said Veninger.
About half the population, given that theory, will soon be shocked. What happens then is the question.
Veninger said, “If we are to count all the votes as a democracy is supposed to do, the results will be accepted.”
Adam Lange, founder of the United Cape Patriots, said he expects Americans, no matter the side, will accept election results, “just as they did in 2016,” because one of the things America was founded on was the rule of law.
United Cape Patriots, Lange told Cape Cod Wave in April, is composed of, “frustrated conservatives who are biased towards action whereas our Republican party is biased towards inaction.”
Fran Manzelli, who represents the Cape and Islands on the Massachusetts Republican State Committee, said he hopes people are “calm and peaceful and we behave like adults. That’s what democracy is built on.”
“From my perspective, I would certainly not advocate for anything other than accepting the results,” he said. “We have to be classy and do the right thing.”
Former state Rep. Thomas George (R-Yarmouth) said, “Historically, citizens of the United States have always accepted the outcome of elections, even when their party was not victorious.” George said he expects that to happen again.
“The average American family is interested in the progress of our country and you won’t have real progress, regardless of who the president is, if the general population is rising up against him,” said George. People have jobs, families and lives outside of politics, he said.
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