Seattle voters seek community peace on the eve of 2016 election

SEATTLE  --  It begins with shock and denial and leads to bargaining and guilt.  And once anger leads to depression, then you know hope is right around the corner.  The seven stages of grief -- a roller coaster of emotions experienced by many throughout this presidential election.

And so, for a peaceful moment of silence, surrounded by the warm glow of candlelight, organizers of “Hate Free Delridge” gathered friends, neighbors and perfect strangers at Westlake Park to mourn what many feel has been a painful time in our nation.

“This idea that you hate the people on the other side because they disagree and the venom we have been hearing for the past several months is unbelievable,” says Dave Gamrath.



Their message is simple: nurture your community and find common ground.

“No matter what happens tomorrow, we are a community and we will always be one,” says Gamrath.

That same message of unity,was echoed by an even larger crowd at a prayer vigil at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral.

People from a variety of religious backgrounds and political affiliations bid each other peace while releasing their frustrations and fears to a different kind of “Commander-in-Chief”.

“I think we need to pray,” says Paul Winterstein.

Whether you lean left or right or debate back and forth, organizers say it’s about finding some common ground.   And that— in and of itself - is hopeful.

“We need to work on accepting people with whom we have differences,” says Winterstein.