Demonstrators in Park Square Urge Voting; Polls Close at 8 p.m.
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| While voting has been the theme of recent standouts, some demonstrators are clear on the way they hope the vote will go. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Community members stood in Park Square on midterm election day urging everyone to use their voices at the polls.
The standout was organized by Indivisible Pittsfield, and accompanied by a demonstration the previous day and another on election day at the Woodlawn Avenue rotary.
"It's very important to vote, especially historically. Women didn't always have the vote. Minorities didn't always have the vote, so it's so incredibly important for everybody to go out and vote," said Rose Fiscella, with Indivisible Pittsfield.
"Not just men, not just women, not just minorities. Everybody. No matter who you want to vote for — red, blue, purple — anybody."
As a 20-year-old, Fiscella emphasized the importance of young people exercising their civic duty. Her sign read "Don't let America's 250th be our last."
iBerkshires spoke to attendees at the beginning of the rally in downtown Pittsfield, down the street from polling locations at the Berkshire Athenaeum and Providence Court.
"To me it feels more important than ever to vote and vote blue specifically," said Lois Prew.
"I'm encouraged that people are turning out in high numbers to vote. I feel like there's a blue wave going on, so I'm encouraged by that."
Betsy Heilmann is the daughter of an immigrant who escaped Germany for freedom in America. She said everything her grandmother hoped for when coming over here is at risk, "and I'm not going to let her journey that must have been terrifying be for nothing."
"Two hundred and fifty years we have fought against oppression and inequality, and now it's disappearing before our eyes," she said, encouraging people to vote Democrat.
"We have to be strong. We have to be out here. Vote. Get his crazy ass out."
Heilmann added that people across the world, in Iran, in Europe, are suffering and dying because of what the "mad men in the White House are doing."
"Children are dying. This is horrific."
Prew feels under attack by the cuts to essential government programs for disability and low-income households, such as Section 8, Social Security, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and is terrified of those programs being reduced or taken away.
John Nesbit said he has been protesting President Donald Trump and the "Make America Great Again" takeover since it happened. A Navy veteran and senior, he came out in support of the First Amendment, and the five fundamental freedoms.
"If they're supporting a 34-convicted felon and adjudicated rapist, I think I know where they stand, and it upsets me," he said about supporters of the current presidential administration. "So I try to do what I can in a very healthy, positive way."
The nonprofit Roots & Dreams and Mustard Seeds offered free rides on election day to ensure people can cast their vote.
"We don't care who you're voting for. Don't even tell us. We don't wanna talk about it," co-Executive Director Michael Hitchcock wrote.
"We just wanna make sure if you want to vote and transportation is a problem for you, that we can help make that happen."
Information on candidates and polling locations can be found on iBerkshires.com.
Tags: election 2026, voting,
