Hard to imagine that this is a day after presidential in Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania. Headphones in the ears, the hurry, cap pulled down on the head, everyone goes about his usual occupations. Like Cathy Johnson, who taps on her computer, seated in front of the town hall. The 29-year-old sports coach voted Joe Biden, like a good chunk of « Philly », Democratic stronghold in a hotly contested state. Pennsylvania is one of those “swing states” that rock every presidential election, where Trump and Biden campaigned to the end to win twenty top voters.
“I didn’t even watch TV last night, it was too scary, breaths Cathy Johnson. I just want to end this election. “ However, the results could still take several days before being known, a first since the year 2000 and the election of George Bush, suspended for weeks to the recount of the votes in Florida. The Pennsylvania authorities announced on Wednesday that all of the 1.4 million ballots sent by post would not be counted until Friday.
For now, Trump is leading by 8 points, after the counting of 80% of the ballots, mainly from rural areas who vote rather Republican. Results in big cities, like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, should mechanically push Biden up. Until going back to the head? The Democratic candidate led by five points in the poll average on the eve of the vote …
“The evening was very scary”
Robert Poseman, he spent the evening in front of his screen with friends. The 54-year-old physicist, who voted Biden, readily concedes that. “The evening was very scary. The more she went, the more we had the impression of reliving 2016 … “ Although he was not particularly optimistic, he “Was still hoping for a big victory, but we were prepared for the results to take time.”
“We will be lucky if we have the name of the next president before Monday”, abounds Abraham Jones. The 53-year-old African-American truck driver assures him, “There will be no violence, even if Donald Trump loses. Everyone is tired, including the supremacist militias. “
An opinion shared by Robert Poseman. The pure Philadelphian, however, is worried about a possible turbulent transfer of power. “If Trump loses, we must expect slander from him. He had already announced in 2016 that the election was rigged when he thought he would lose it. He has been promoting this idea for four years. “
Change of mood at Independance Hall, with its National Constitution Museum, symbol of the independence of the United States, consecrated here in 1776. They are a few hundred, much more worried, to have answered the call of the association Count every vote (count every ballot). Richard Lampart is one of the lot. This 74-year-old retiree is not an activist. If he’s “Disappointed that Biden did not win largely”, he’s convinced “That with postal votes, he will win! “ But he “Fears that Donald Trump will use the Supreme Court to overturn certain votes”.
The outgoing president has indeed, from Wednesday morning, started to denounce, via Twitter, fraud in all the key states whose counts are still in progress. Without providing any proof. The previous night, Donald Trump had already announced his victory in Pennsylvania, while more than 20% of the ballots remained to be counted …
In the streets of Philadelphia the Democrat, we agree that if Biden is defeated, the latter “Will recognize his defeat quickly” and that on the other hand, “With Donald Trump, we already know that he will exhaust all possible remedies”. Above all, we agree that it is urgent to wait.
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