San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
BIDEN FANS TAKE SUPPORT ON A ROLL DURING COUNTYWIDE CARAVAN
As Californians begin to receive their mail ballots ahead of the November election, San Diego residents decked out their cars with signs, flags, streamers and chalk paint to spread their messages of support for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris.
The caravan started off Saturday with only six cars in San Ysidro, but it grew while weaving around San Diego County, eventually driving through Oceanside and Escondido before making its way back down to its final destination in the Clairemont Mesa area. Drivers and passengers maintained social distance during their stops, donned masks and primarily kept in contact with one another via Zoom as safety precautions due to the coronavirus.
Allied Gardens resident John Mattes joined up with the caravan during a stop at the Old Town Transit Center. He said preserving democracy and guaranteeing the right to free speech were the most important issues for him this election season.
“We’re facing an existential threat to democracy, and the question is: In these next 30 days, will we be able to take back democracy? Will we be able to secure a safe and fair election?” Mattes said. “It isn’t a ‘red’ or ‘blue’ issue anymore, it’s about our country and how important our country is and the right to free speech.”
For Felicia House, who lives in Imperial Beach and has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, access to health care is most important for the upcoming election. Previously she had health care while working as a Lyft driver, but she stopped working for fear getting sick with COVID-19.
“I don’t (want) to worry about whether I’m going to go to the hospital or if I’m going to have to wait because I’m a little short on my health care,” House said. “It’s a real crisis out there with health care ... I have to be out there struggling every day.”
For those wanting to get involved with political activism, Bay Park resident Rhoda Quate said voting is a key step, but volunteering with text banking is another way to build up election momentum.
“Vote early, get your ballot into the registrar’s office by driving it in,” Quate said. “There’s so much going on, so much to do virtually — as these car caravans are easy to do.”