A group of Trump supporters waving campaign flags disrupted the second day of early voting in Fairfax, Virginia, on Saturday, chanting, “Four more years” as voters entered a polling location and at one point forming a line that voters had to walk around outside the site.
County election officials eventually were forced to open up a larger portion of the Fairfax County Government Center to allow voters to wait inside, away from the Trump enthusiasts.
Election officials said that the group stayed about 100 feet from the entrance to the building and, contrary to posts on social media, were not directly blocking access to the building. But they acknowledged that some voters and polling staff members felt intimidated by what some saw as protesters.
“Citizens coming into and leaving the building did have to go by them,” Gary Scott, the general registrar of Fairfax County, said in a statement. “Those voters who were in line outside of the building were moved inside and we continued operations. Some voters, and elections staff, did feel intimidated by the crowd and we did provide escorts past the group. One of the escorts was the county executive.”
In an unnerved electorate, where concerns about voting rights and safely voting amid the coronavirus pandemic are at a fever pitch, the demonstration outside of a polling place served as preview of a likely contentious election season and how groups may be utilizing tactics that rattle or even deter voters over the next six weeks.
The disruption came as President Donald Trump has repeatedly sought to undermine confidence in the upcoming election, spreading falsehoods about voting by mail and declaring the election “rigged” before any votes have even been cast.
The demonstration originated from a “Trump Train” parade that began in nearby Prince William County and featured Tommy Hicks Jr., the Republican National Committee co-chair. The event was set to end in the parking lot of the government center, which was also serving as the polling location Saturday. Some of the people who attended the parade walked over to vote. Others gathered outside and began chanting, “Four more years, four more years!”
