1 p.m., Walter Johnson High School polling station in the town of Bethesda. In the Democratic state of Maryland, whose votes will unsurprisingly go to Kamala Harris, the issue of the day is women. Today, it is a question of electing a woman president of the United States, a Democratic senator, Angela Alsobrooks (opposite the Republican candidate Larry Hogan), and of voting for the inclusion of the right to abortion in the constitution of this state on the American east coast – Maryland is one of ten states to have submitted a referendum question on abortion to voters.
The women responded. They often came as a mother-daughter couple, arm in arm, like Maggie, 21, a graphic design student, and Christie, her mother, “to highlight the voices of women and show our feminine solidarity for all those who live in states where we no longer have the right to abortion”they explain. “Since the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the federal right to abortion, we know that anything can happen, so it is better to enshrine it once and for all in the constitution. Let us not take the risk of having it taken away”adds Maggie. If Trump wins, “it will be a lot of tears”summarizes the mother. If Harris wins, “I will be so happy to have elected a woman president for my first presidential election! »exclaims the girl.
Hannah, 19, a management student, also came with her mother. This is the first time she has voted and “it’s a bit creepy”she admits. “I reread everything ten times to make sure I wasn’t wrong. » Because what is at stake, in his eyes, “This is the future of women and immigrants in America. However, I am a woman and a child of immigrants”said the young black woman, “like Kamala Harris!” »
This morning, all the mother-daughter pairs we questioned told us they voted for the president-senator-abortion triplet. Here it is « women power »laughs Gwen, a democratic volunteer with a T-Shirt indicating « Roe, Roe Roe, your vote »with reference to the Roe v. Wade, overturned by the Supreme Court, which guaranteed the right to abortion. She set up her stand to the left of the polling station, where she distributes stickers, leaflets on the law and abortion, and pre-filled ballot models to give guidance to voters lost in the jungle of questions on which they must decide – in addition to appointing their president. “We have felt incredible momentum on the ground for weeks and today I see so many women coming to vote. I’m really confident. »
To the right of the polling station, the volunteer points to the Trumpist in a blue dress who ventured into Democratic territory to distribute stickers calling for people to say no to the inclusion of abortion in the constitution. “No one talks to him”she laughed. “And apart from her, no Republican volunteer has come since this morning. They don’t even have a stand. It’s a sign”. Sarah Halifa-Legrand
