Election reactions

Text by AKHIL JOONDEPH and TIM HUNG

Photos by AVERY HANNA

WHEN THE NEWS BROKE PALO ALTO RESPONDS TO THE 2020 ELECTION PALO ALTO RESPONDS TO 2020 ELECTION

THE SOUND OF CAR horns and excited shouts fill the air as people of all ages wave homemade banners, newspapers and American flags in celebration of a new executive.

With a record-breaking number of votes cast and millions voting by mail amid the COVID-19 pandemic, this election was one like no other.

In Palo Alto, demonstrators took to the streets the day President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris were declared the winners of the race, rallying at the corner of El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road in celebration. Verde captured this historic moment in a collection of photos. v

BEHOLDING THE NEWS (LEFT) — Palo Alto High School junior Madison Abbassi holds up a copy of The Mercury News in celebration of former Vice President Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential race. “There’s so much wonderful energy here,” Abbassi said.

BAY AREA FOR BIDEN — A boy holds an American flag and leans out the roof of a car at the victory rally for President-elect Joe Biden. “A lot of us are just exhaling for the first time in a long time,” school board member Jennifer DiBrienza said.

PINT-SIZED PATRIOT (BOTTOM) — A young girl waves two small American flags on the median in the center of El Camino Real as a part of the celebrations of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. “I feel a lot of unity occurring over here,” Abbassi said.

GEORGIA ON MY MIND — A demonstrator raises a homemade sign to express her admiration for Joe Biden’s victory in the state of Georgia, a key battleground state that helped Biden win the election. “The fact that it was such a close election reminds me that we have a lot of work to do, but this is an important first step,” DiBrienza said.

HOORAY FOR HEALTHCARE (BELOW) — A young demonstrator triumphantly raises a banner in support of Medicare for all Americans, a provision many Democrats hope President-elect Biden enacts. “I’m very hopeful for the new administration,” Abbassi said.