It's hard to believe that the election was just 33 days ago. The onslaught of news and updates already has many of us exhausted from an administration that has not yet actually begun. We've heard from many of you that you're feeling defeated or lonely. While we want you to know that you're not alone, we also want you to know that there indeed are some places of light.
First, the final numbers aren't nearly as grim as they looked on November 6. Trump certainly did not win by a landslide, nor did he win an "unprecedented and powerful mandate," as he claims. Trump had 49.9% of the votes, while Harris ultimately walked away with 48.4%- a difference of only 1.5%, just over 2 million votes. There's been some discussion on the lower Democratic turnout, and while analysis will continue for a while, I do think it's important to remember that there were so many voter suppression laws that were in play this election season, and it seems that they did exactly what the Republicans wanted- keep Democratic votes from being counted. Another important issue is the deluge of right-wing propaganda that impacted so many.
After the election, I took a few days to just hide away from all of it, but as I started to peer out from the darkness, two things brought me hope. First was listening to the 11/14 episode of Stacey Abrams's podcast, Assembly Required, where she interviews Heather Cox Richardson. Some of the advice on action is for each of us to bring our best in whatever way we can. Richardson notes that authoritarian governments lead with fear, and feed on distrust and anger and to the extent that we can push back and prioritize joy and community, we can show them that we won't stand for that type of leadership. Instead, we build and support communities that take care of each other and lead with love.
The other thing that brought me hope was an analysis of our election results in Salem. I've always heard that Salem was about 80% Republican, and over the last few years, I've seen that we're actually not quite that red. But friends, a few weeks ago, Salem showed that we are, in fact, a lot closer to being purple. If you zoom in on the map below, you'll see a tiny speck of pink next to the darker blue of Roanoke City. That pink dot, surrounded by mostly red, is Salem and that pink dot means that while ultimately Republicans won in our city, it was not a red wave. Every single precinct saw an increase in votes for Democrats.
Presidental Races
EVERY SINGLE precinct saw an increase in % of Dem voters.
| 2016 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
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 |
|
| North Salem 1 | 38.75% Clinton | 44.94% Harris |
| North Salem 2 | 42.53% Clinton | 45.57% Harris (118 vote difference) |
| Conehurst | 35.73% Clinton | 40.60% Harris |
| Hidden Valley | 34.25% Clinton | 43.26% Harris |
| Southside Hills | 28.14% Clinton | 35.05% Harris |
| Beverly Heights | 25.59% Clinton | 31.60% Harris |
| West Salem | 28.93% Clinton | 38.88% Harris |
| South Salem 1 | 36.19% Clinton | 39.17% Harris |
| South Salem 2 | 30.32% Clinton | 33.97% Harris |
| East Salem | 32.85% Clinton | 38.93% Harris |
Senate Races
| 2018 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
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 |
|
| North Salem 1 | 45.92% Kaine | 48.63% Kaine (44 vote difference) |
| North Salem 2 | 48.34% Kaine | 47.97% Kaine (62 vote difference) |
| Conehurst | 42.96% Kaine | 42.94% Kaine |
| Hidden Valley | 42.20% Kaine | 45.6% Kaine |
| Southside Hills | 34.75% Kaine | 38.62% Kaine |
| Beverly Heights | 34.90% Kaine | 35.26% Kaine |
| West Salem | 38.25% Kaine | 43.08% Kaine |
| South Salem 1 | 44.87% Kaine | 44.04% Kaine |
| South Salem 2 | 38.40% Kaine | 38.87% Kaine |
| East Salem | 40.18% Kaine | 43.38% Kaine |
City Council Races
Our local races are intended to be non-partisan, though not everyone plays by those rules. Out of the four folks running for three City Council seats, one who took the Republican endorsement lost. Though we did not endorse them, we did have both Anne Marie Green and Renee Turk speak at meetings, and they both won seats.
| Candidate | Number of Votes | Percentage of Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Renee Ferris Turk | 7,131 | 27.21% |
| John E. Saunders | 6,923 | 26.41% |
| Anne Marie Green | 6,072 | 23.17% |
| J.W. "Jim" Wallace III | 5,869 | 22.39% |
| Write-In | 216 | 0.82% |
All of this is to say- it's working. We're making a difference.
Every time you put up a Democratic yard sign, or a sign that promotes love and kindness, you show other Salem residents that they are not alone. Every time you speak to your neighbor about the issues, every time you are willing to engage with someone who is repeating disinformation and treat them respectfully while also sharing reality-based information, you move our democracy forward. Every time you are willing to share part of who you are with your fellow Salem citizens, you show that it can be a different way. I have faith that it will not be long before Salem is not just a pink dot, but a blue one, and that's because of each of you values equality, justice, kindness, and respect.
And so now we turn our attention to next year's elections (because it's always an election year in Virginia!). As Trump says he wants to push issues to the state level, it will be necessary that we elect a Democratic governor next year, and down the ballot. Managing the next administration will be a marathon, not a sprint, and we need folks who can step up and step in, in so many ways. Our next event will be one focused on building community with each other, a holiday gathering with the date TBD. In early 2025, we'll begin the next round of work in protecting each other, our communities, and our democracy.
Warmly,
Katrina
* visit the Salem City Registrar's Office and vpap.org for more results