People at the “Count Every Vote” rally at the state Capitol.
Brittany Smalls has been traveling to counties across Pennsylvania with a message—“Black Voters Matter.”
Throughout the election season, she’s been working to encourage people of color to vote. On Wednesday night, she showed up for the “Count Every Vote” rally at the PA Capitol to make sure all the work she did will count.
“They can’t say the Black community didn’t represent in this election,” she said. “Now, we’ve got to demand our voices be heard.”
As Pennsylvania has yet to finish tallying its votes, President Donald Trump is seeking to end the counting, according to the Associated Press. The news organization said he’s looking to intervene in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision to allow a three-day extension for receiving mail-in ballots.
“I think it is important every vote be counted,” said Harrisburg resident Sharmika Fargen, who attended the rally on Wednesday. “I’m staying hopeful and optimistic, but I’m going to use my voice.”
Smalls of Black Voters Matter represented one of the organizations at the rally, along with nonprofit We the People-PA, the organizer of the event, and Capital Rebirth, among others.
Kadida Kenner of the We the People campaign was the host for the event, urging people to demand their votes be counted.
“This election is more about us than it is about the candidates,” she said. “Our votes will decide this election.”
A retired history professor from Shippensburg University, Robert Shaffer, shared his thoughts on Trump trying to end vote-counting from a historical perspective.
“The idea by Trump that fraud is more likely in counting after Election Day has no logical or historical basis,” he said.
He cited many past elections that included vote-counting past Election Day.
After a march down State Street and back, Kenner encouraged the crowd to attend to more “Count Every Vote” rallies that will take place on Thursday and Saturday at the Capitol.
“Our voices will be heard,” she said.
For more information on We the People-PA, visit their website. To learn more about Black Voters Matter, visit www.blackvotersmatterfund.org/.
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