The Election Is Approaching — and These Washingtonians Are Running Scared
In a time marked by anxiety, election day presents an excellent opportunity to take a break and escape.
TroibNews 
Kate Brown relocated to Washington primarily for political reasons. However, during election week, she's choosing to leave town for those same reasons.
“I just want to get the eff out of dodge,” Brown recently shared. “I don’t feel like dealing with it.”
In this context, “it” doesn’t refer to the usual stresses associated with working during an election. Brown, who works in marketing and communications for libertarian policy experts, notes that election week tends to be quieter for public engagements like book talks and discussions. Instead, her concerns are centered around safety, though she’s uncertain what specific threats might arise.
“I’m not entirely sure what’s going to happen,” Brown explained. “My best friend in the world was on Capitol Hill on January 6. He’s in a wheelchair. I was very worried. You think about stuff like that. Do I think there’s going to be another January 6? Honestly, I’m also a bit worried about if the other side wins. People really hate Trump. I just don’t know.”
Given her apprehensions, Brown feels this is the perfect time for a getaway. “We’re going to go to Vegas, see some concerts, play some poker,” she said. “I can’t imagine that we’re the only ones.”
Indeed, she’s not alone. As Washington navigates the end of a tumultuous election season and braces for what could be an even more tumultuous transition period, many individuals, regardless of their political affiliations, are expressing concerns about potential violence from the losing side. For liberals, the fear of a repeat of January 6 is grounded in real experiences, while conservatives are also wary of possible antifa-related disturbances.
This concern has led various individuals to plan vacations at strategic times: a policy scholar who found business in Los Angeles, a former Hill staffer who arranged an overseas trip during election week, and a liberal think tanker who scheduled a biking adventure in Arizona.
“January 6th was a very scary time,” said Shreya Tulsiani, a policy researcher who has lived in the capital since attending graduate school. “I used to live right off of North Capitol Street, so I could see the Capitol. There were Proud Boys petting my dog that day. I don’t want to be a part of it.”
Although Election Day sees little activity from the Capitol building, Tulsiani is still apprehensive about November 5. “I feel like election week might be crazy too,” she expressed. “I don’t know what’s planned but I don’t want to be near it. … I know that the response here is, like, let’s bring out the tanks, let’s bring out the people with guns. That doesn’t make me feel safe either.”
Residents of Washington are likely having similar discussions. Some of the vacation planning appears to stem from nerves: partisans hoping to avoid the gloom of potential defeat. However, a larger portion reflects a post-2020 awareness of what elections might unleash in a city where “partisan warfare” now evokes tangible fears of violence.
With memories of the last election still vivid, Washington is grappling with the unsettling possibility that the national election could descend into chaos typically associated with politically unstable nations.
Public safety experts suggest that the probability of such catastrophic events is minimal, but that doesn’t ease the anxiety for many. In a city accustomed to large political events, there’s little familiarity with handling the tumult that some fear.
During a briefing for D.C.’s mayor and city council prior to the elections, legislators voiced a range of concerns that might have seemed far-fetched before 2020. “We’re already getting requests from businesses, should they board up?,” noted Brooke Pinto, representing a district that includes downtown and Georgetown. Local residents are also asking if they should remove garbage cans to prevent them from being used as projectiles by possible mobs. Charles Allen, whose district encompasses the Capitol, reported receiving inquiries about school closures on January 6.
Museums near the National Mall, typically free for the public, are also worried about potential violence should rioters be deterred from the Capitol and seek other vulnerable targets. Though such scenarios lack precedent, the discussions highlight a broader atmosphere of concern in the lead-up to the next several weeks.
Earlier this month, the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District in D.C., representing employers in a densely populated office area, convened members alongside officials from various law enforcement agencies for a tabletop exercise to consider potential election-related violence.
While such planning is prudent for a business district, the nature of the exercise underscores a post-2020 reality. Participants were warned about the possibility of chaos stemming from inter-party conflict by simulating a scenario involving the fictional “Beagle Party” and “Dalmatian Party” competing after a disputed election. Security teams and HR personnel were tasked with making decisions in a landscape filled with misinformation and chaotic reports.
“It was a range of decisions on the kinds of things they would do,” said Leona Agouridis, executive director of the business organization. “Where the learning occurred was them thinking it through. And then, rather than having me or our head of security teach them, we had the police explain what happens in situations, how they deal with them.”
While the exercise may have clarified some concerns for its participants, its necessity brings forth feelings of embarrassment for a nation that prides itself on stable democracy.
“I said to the guys, ‘I want you to call Lowe’s and Home Depot and ask what it takes to buy six or seven pallets of plywood” for storefront protection,” another local business leader shared. The aim would be to acquire materials that could potentially be returned. “I want to be prepared, but I hope we don’t need it. It sends a terrible message the minute you board up a window.”
In the days leading up to the 2020 election, all CVS locations in Washington were boarded up due to concerns about unrest, creating a somber atmosphere in the struggling city. The pharmacy chain has yet to decide its response for this election but aims to avoid a repeat of that experience.
“People have certain risk tolerances, and I don’t think they should be boarding up their businesses, but we’re not going to give them that advice,” stated D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. Police Chief Pamela Smith indicated that no specific threats for election week or beyond have been identified.
Instead, local officials are concentrating their efforts on communication strategies to ensure reliable public safety messaging can cut through potential misinformation. “We need to make sure we’re countering it quickly and pushing our residents towards vetted and valid information,” remarked Christopher Rodriguez, an assistant city administrator. “In many respects, our preparation for 2024 started on January 7, 2021.”
Among other preparations, January 6 has been designated a National Special Security Event, providing law enforcement with enhanced federal resources.
Despite the heightened anxieties, Washington has not witnessed significant acts of political violence following the January 6 insurrection. According to local police data, zero reports of hate crimes based on political affiliation have been recorded in the first nine months of 2024, mirroring last year. In 2017 and 2018, there were 10 reports each year, with six in 2020.
This trend does not surprise Jared Holt, who studies extremist movements at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. He points out that many on the far right view Washington as an adversarial environment. “The types of online communities and the portions of the die-hard Trump base that would be the theoretical foot soldiers in an event like that view D.C. as hostile territory,” Holt stated. “When Trump was in office, there was a perception that he had final say in terms of policing there.”
“We’re not seeing a lot of them openly talk about organizing around the election right now,” Holt noted. “But that’s also what it was like in 2020 until the results came down.”
Conversely, he is not particularly concerned about potential leftist protests in response to a Trump victory, explaining that much of the energy among organized groups is presently focused elsewhere, such as the Israel-Hamas conflict. “A lot of the radical left groups that I keep my eye on seem to be mutually disgusted with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump,” he said. “That energy has largely been spent elsewhere.”
In summary, if America is poised for post-election violence, Washington is less likely to be the epicenter than some other locations, such as swing-state counties or legislatures.
But there remains uncertainty. After two centuries of stable democratic governance, Americans are still grappling with issues surrounding personal safety during elections.
While many experts believe Washington is unlikely to experience a surge of post-election violence, others stress the importance of preparations that have become necessary since 2020. With politics evolving, Washington’s established culture isn’t quite equipped to contend with these new realities.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
“I just want to get the eff out of dodge,” Brown recently shared. “I don’t feel like dealing with it.”
In this context, “it” doesn’t refer to the usual stresses associated with working during an election. Brown, who works in marketing and communications for libertarian policy experts, notes that election week tends to be quieter for public engagements like book talks and discussions. Instead, her concerns are centered around safety, though she’s uncertain what specific threats might arise.
“I’m not entirely sure what’s going to happen,” Brown explained. “My best friend in the world was on Capitol Hill on January 6. He’s in a wheelchair. I was very worried. You think about stuff like that. Do I think there’s going to be another January 6? Honestly, I’m also a bit worried about if the other side wins. People really hate Trump. I just don’t know.”
Given her apprehensions, Brown feels this is the perfect time for a getaway. “We’re going to go to Vegas, see some concerts, play some poker,” she said. “I can’t imagine that we’re the only ones.”
Indeed, she’s not alone. As Washington navigates the end of a tumultuous election season and braces for what could be an even more tumultuous transition period, many individuals, regardless of their political affiliations, are expressing concerns about potential violence from the losing side. For liberals, the fear of a repeat of January 6 is grounded in real experiences, while conservatives are also wary of possible antifa-related disturbances.
This concern has led various individuals to plan vacations at strategic times: a policy scholar who found business in Los Angeles, a former Hill staffer who arranged an overseas trip during election week, and a liberal think tanker who scheduled a biking adventure in Arizona.
“January 6th was a very scary time,” said Shreya Tulsiani, a policy researcher who has lived in the capital since attending graduate school. “I used to live right off of North Capitol Street, so I could see the Capitol. There were Proud Boys petting my dog that day. I don’t want to be a part of it.”
Although Election Day sees little activity from the Capitol building, Tulsiani is still apprehensive about November 5. “I feel like election week might be crazy too,” she expressed. “I don’t know what’s planned but I don’t want to be near it. … I know that the response here is, like, let’s bring out the tanks, let’s bring out the people with guns. That doesn’t make me feel safe either.”
Residents of Washington are likely having similar discussions. Some of the vacation planning appears to stem from nerves: partisans hoping to avoid the gloom of potential defeat. However, a larger portion reflects a post-2020 awareness of what elections might unleash in a city where “partisan warfare” now evokes tangible fears of violence.
With memories of the last election still vivid, Washington is grappling with the unsettling possibility that the national election could descend into chaos typically associated with politically unstable nations.
Public safety experts suggest that the probability of such catastrophic events is minimal, but that doesn’t ease the anxiety for many. In a city accustomed to large political events, there’s little familiarity with handling the tumult that some fear.
During a briefing for D.C.’s mayor and city council prior to the elections, legislators voiced a range of concerns that might have seemed far-fetched before 2020. “We’re already getting requests from businesses, should they board up?,” noted Brooke Pinto, representing a district that includes downtown and Georgetown. Local residents are also asking if they should remove garbage cans to prevent them from being used as projectiles by possible mobs. Charles Allen, whose district encompasses the Capitol, reported receiving inquiries about school closures on January 6.
Museums near the National Mall, typically free for the public, are also worried about potential violence should rioters be deterred from the Capitol and seek other vulnerable targets. Though such scenarios lack precedent, the discussions highlight a broader atmosphere of concern in the lead-up to the next several weeks.
Earlier this month, the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District in D.C., representing employers in a densely populated office area, convened members alongside officials from various law enforcement agencies for a tabletop exercise to consider potential election-related violence.
While such planning is prudent for a business district, the nature of the exercise underscores a post-2020 reality. Participants were warned about the possibility of chaos stemming from inter-party conflict by simulating a scenario involving the fictional “Beagle Party” and “Dalmatian Party” competing after a disputed election. Security teams and HR personnel were tasked with making decisions in a landscape filled with misinformation and chaotic reports.
“It was a range of decisions on the kinds of things they would do,” said Leona Agouridis, executive director of the business organization. “Where the learning occurred was them thinking it through. And then, rather than having me or our head of security teach them, we had the police explain what happens in situations, how they deal with them.”
While the exercise may have clarified some concerns for its participants, its necessity brings forth feelings of embarrassment for a nation that prides itself on stable democracy.
“I said to the guys, ‘I want you to call Lowe’s and Home Depot and ask what it takes to buy six or seven pallets of plywood” for storefront protection,” another local business leader shared. The aim would be to acquire materials that could potentially be returned. “I want to be prepared, but I hope we don’t need it. It sends a terrible message the minute you board up a window.”
In the days leading up to the 2020 election, all CVS locations in Washington were boarded up due to concerns about unrest, creating a somber atmosphere in the struggling city. The pharmacy chain has yet to decide its response for this election but aims to avoid a repeat of that experience.
“People have certain risk tolerances, and I don’t think they should be boarding up their businesses, but we’re not going to give them that advice,” stated D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. Police Chief Pamela Smith indicated that no specific threats for election week or beyond have been identified.
Instead, local officials are concentrating their efforts on communication strategies to ensure reliable public safety messaging can cut through potential misinformation. “We need to make sure we’re countering it quickly and pushing our residents towards vetted and valid information,” remarked Christopher Rodriguez, an assistant city administrator. “In many respects, our preparation for 2024 started on January 7, 2021.”
Among other preparations, January 6 has been designated a National Special Security Event, providing law enforcement with enhanced federal resources.
Despite the heightened anxieties, Washington has not witnessed significant acts of political violence following the January 6 insurrection. According to local police data, zero reports of hate crimes based on political affiliation have been recorded in the first nine months of 2024, mirroring last year. In 2017 and 2018, there were 10 reports each year, with six in 2020.
This trend does not surprise Jared Holt, who studies extremist movements at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. He points out that many on the far right view Washington as an adversarial environment. “The types of online communities and the portions of the die-hard Trump base that would be the theoretical foot soldiers in an event like that view D.C. as hostile territory,” Holt stated. “When Trump was in office, there was a perception that he had final say in terms of policing there.”
“We’re not seeing a lot of them openly talk about organizing around the election right now,” Holt noted. “But that’s also what it was like in 2020 until the results came down.”
Conversely, he is not particularly concerned about potential leftist protests in response to a Trump victory, explaining that much of the energy among organized groups is presently focused elsewhere, such as the Israel-Hamas conflict. “A lot of the radical left groups that I keep my eye on seem to be mutually disgusted with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump,” he said. “That energy has largely been spent elsewhere.”
In summary, if America is poised for post-election violence, Washington is less likely to be the epicenter than some other locations, such as swing-state counties or legislatures.
But there remains uncertainty. After two centuries of stable democratic governance, Americans are still grappling with issues surrounding personal safety during elections.
While many experts believe Washington is unlikely to experience a surge of post-election violence, others stress the importance of preparations that have become necessary since 2020. With politics evolving, Washington’s established culture isn’t quite equipped to contend with these new realities.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
