This is hard. We’ve all given so much to change our country this year, and I’m fighting despair that our results aren’t more definitive and sweeping.
The truth is, we knew that we would need to be patient and take the time to count every vote. We knew that the electoral college would be our biggest obstacle to electoral progress, and that remained true (more to come on this). We also knew that change happens from the bottom up and that has been further proven as well.
There’s a lot we don’t know as we wait to #CountEveryVote, but there’s a real pathway nationally for a Biden presidency in the next couple of days. And, with your help, we have some powerful wins projected in California. This morning I’m reminding myself that democracy is work that takes place 365 days a year and this isn’t over.
Here’s what we do know:
- A record, historic number of Americans voted, in the midst of a pandemic. A surge of young voters turned out around the country, many for the first time. Vice President Biden will get millions more votes than Trump and win the popular vote.
- There is a slim and unlikely path for Democrats to take control of the Senate. Democrats will keep the majority in the House, but lose seats to Republicans.
- Big Oil had a bad night in California, with EnviroVoters and our partners getting some key wins in the State Legislature, resulting in a net gain of climate champions in the Senate.
- Key propositions in California, like Props 15, 16, and 18 are struggling, with more votes to count. Prop 17, re-enfranchising voters on parole, has passed!
- We are ahead in some key local battleground races.
Now, we have to take the time to count every vote. People stood in line for hours and their voices need to be heard.
The Electoral College Has to Go
It’s difficult to know what the final outcome will be, except to acknowledge that it will be closer than we all would have wanted despite historic and unprecedented turnout numbers. Biden will win the popular but that doesn’t matter with the electoral college. What is as clear as ever is that the electoral college and senate malapportionment are structures built to give more power to the votes of white people across our country. These structures are working as designed. Democracy and justice require we take this fight on.
But for today, our collective job is to stay patient and engaged. There is still so much we don’t know, and let’s commit to this process and see it through.
Thank you for staying with us in this fight.
