In examining political tensions and dynamics in small towns in Northern Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania, I have found that everyone, no matter which party, has the same internal countdown in their heads: 50 days.. 40 days... 14 days... until the election. The outcome of the election will change the lives of all Americans.
Next door neighbors with opposing views in Littlestown, Pennsylvania.
Portrait of a voter: Hanover PA.
“I support Biden because I think he is bright politically, I think he’s a good man and a healer. Jerry Ford was a healer after president Nixon and I see Joe Biden as a healer. I see him as a one term president, I see him as a healer because I think he can work across the aisle. I think he’s picked a good running mate who is a very smart, feisty person. I would rather vote for Biden over Trump because I want a president who I can look up to, who I can believe, and who I can trust to take care of everyone in the country, not just white people. Whats important to me is equality. I am so excited to see a female on the ticket.”
-Barbara Rupp
Portrait of a voter: Littlestown, PA.
“I hope he[Trump] raises the economy and does stuff about Covid. I don’t know. There’s lots of things. You know, do something about what’s going on with race, everybody is shooting the police and rioting against the police for no reason. They’re protecting themselves. I would rather vote for trump over Joe Biden because he wants to defund the police, he believes in abortion up till the time that it’s born.”
-Tina
A dentist's office on Main Street in Littlestown, Pennsylvania.
Portrait of a voter: Littlestown, PA.
“We're looking at the way the whole coronavirus situation has been handled, and the way his policies are. I don’t really think someone who’s on Twitter that often and spends that much time on Twitter should really be in the highest seat in the government. In the ideal world, I hope that Biden can help the coronavirus situation although it isn’t going to go away overnight. We hope he can unite the country rather than separating everything so much. It just seems to be like one side versus the other. There’s too much reaching across the table. People can't agree to disagree now, everyone's just butting heads, it’s not getting anywhere. So Im hoping we get past that point.”
- Rick Leonard
A house on Main Street in Littlestown, Pennsylvania.
Portrait of a voter: Hanover, PA.
“I support Donald Trump because he protects our rights and I feel like he runs the country more or less like a business, which I feel like is the best to run the country, and it keeps our taxes from being spent on things that aren’t necessary. I hope we can put an end to all these riots and try to decrease the amount of people on unemployment and create more jobs. I feel like the riots are not really protests. Damaging national property isn’t being a protester, it's being a terrorist.”
-Ridge Dunlap
Neighbors with opposing views in Littlestown, Pennsylvania.
A car parked in front of the headquarters of the Carroll County Democratic Central Committee in Westminster, MD. The purpose of the committee is to distribute yard signs for democrats up for election, to educate the public, and to organize local demonstrations.
Portrait of a voter: Hanover, PA.
“I support Trump because he’s good for our country. He’s a business man, not a politician, and we need to get a lot of the politicians out of office because all they’re doing is putting more money in their pockets, they’re not working for the American people. Trump is for the American people, he’s American, he’s always been a true American, he loves the American people, and that’s who he’s working for. I hope Trump clears out the stale politicians and bring timeframes to their office. They’re in office way too long. Like Nancy Pelosi and 90 percent of them. Republican and Democrat. The most important issues to me this election are that Trump gets in because there’s too much Democratic input and they’re just destroying America. Totally destroying America. Biden will steal from us like he did before in the Obama administration. Him and Obama took money from wherever they could get it. That’s how they got rich.”
-Lisa
Portrait of a voter: Hanover, PA.
“I support Trump because I see that he’s done positive things already like the fact that he rolled out the stimulus. That react helped me personally because I’m an essential worker, so I don’t get extra money to stay at home. That was really helpful because I was actually sometimes making less money than someone that wasn’t working. It was fair. There’s ways we’ve had to spend extra money because of this whole thing. I voted for Trump last time. I don’t think there’s been anything incredibly negative thats happened. I would like to see people not have to wear masks anymore in this whole thing so if he could do something to solve this whole issue that would be my hope. The whole virus, not just the masks in particular. Getting rid of this whole mask thing would be awesome. I hope he continues on the path he already is trying to go on. He didn’t have to be president. He’s got tons of money, so why Is someone like that doing it? Because he’s intelligent. I mean, look what he’s done for himself. He’s made himself tons of money. And what does that show you? It shows you intelligence.”
- Christin
A family leaving the headquarters of the Carroll County Democratic Central Committee in Westminster, MD with signs to place in their yard supporting democrats running for local and state level elections.
A group of Trump supporters at a weekly rally on the square in Hanover, PA.
Portrait of a voter: Keymar, MD.
“I am supporting Donald Trump because I like him. He’s old school. He’s a businessman, and I like that. He's not a politician. I like that he’s saved the taxpayers a lot of money. I hope he can doing what he’s doing. Old school honesty is important to me”
-Steve
The front yard of a household in Taneytown, MD where one member, Carol Coley, supports Joe Biden, and her partner, Sam, supports Donald Trump.
"Early on in our dating I told him via text that I thought our relationship was doomed because of politics and Trump. Ten minutes later he was on my doorstep saying no way. It is not easy and I make sure I have a democratic support system. I am on the Board of the Carroll County Democratic Club. That is a great group and I am currently volunteering at the democratic headquarters. Conversely, this means that I am not a silent democrat, but kinda in your face. And I think when you again find love at 70, it is significantly different than at 20. I could not have done this then. I guess respect for each other is the key. But if even we can’t have a discussion... I fear for the country’s future."
-Carol Coley