Washington, D.C.— As votes continue to be counted and the outcome of the presidential election hangs in the balance, People For the American Way President Ben Jealous released the following statement:

“With the future of our country and our democracy on the line, it is imperative that we do two things right now: keep calm, and keep counting. The votes of millions of Americans will be how we decide this election, not political theater or premature declarations from Donald Trump. From the very beginning, through sabotaging the postal service and spreading misinformation about early voting, Trump has never wanted all of the ballots to be counted. This has been his plan all along, but candidates don’t get to decide when an election is won; the American people do, when every vote is counted. This is a time for patience and confidence in our electoral process, and the American people know that and won’t be distracted by Trump’s antics last night.

“At the same time, let’s remember that we can celebrate the victories of young, diverse and progressive candidates at the local and state levels who are ready to make real change for their communities right now. We will work with these representatives of the people to fight for health care, for voting rights, for an end to police violence, and for rights for immigrants, starting today – and regardless of the final outcome of the presidential election.”

About People For the American Way

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. Learn more: https://www.pfaw.org.

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