PORTLAND, Maine — First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Portland will be open on Election Day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to anyone who wants to find relief and unplug.
Rev. Norman Allen said he began to feel the stress that engulfs election season, and he wanted to create a space where people can have peace and quiet, putting their differences aside.
"To be able to sit in a pew, maybe not even knowing who's sitting next to you but knowing that both of you are Americans, both of you have values, both of you care about the future of this country," Allen said. "Just being able to share that space, I think, is what we need right now, because it's not happening outside of this building so much."
Tensions ahead of this election have been high—some people NEWS CENTER Maine spoke with Monday said they simply want a break from it all.
"A lot is at stake with this election," voter Dante Colley said.
Colley explained that he feels people like him who don't fully support the policies of either candidate are put in a hard position.
He expressed that he does not feel that either presidential candidate has given the proper attention to international conflicts that continue to exacerbate in the Middle East.
Voters who have no question about which candidate they support, like Maddi Frissora, say they, too, are dreading Election Day.
"There's so much information out there that I think that the amount of information is overwhelming to digest on either side," Frissora said.
With information flooding in from various sources, Frissora said that she finds it hard to filter the facts from the fiction. She shared that she has a hard time trusting information from traditional news mediums because she can't always determine whether mainstream media is genuine.
When loads of information leave her brain heavily clouded, divisive campaign rhetoric only makes matters worse.
"Growing up, I don't ever remember it being so divided," Frissora said. "I think that an even bigger divide is very concerning, and I think it should be concerning to anybody, no matter who you're voting for."
Campaign rhetoric trends that lean more toward violence and less toward unity leave 88-year-old voter Dale Daucette worried about what will happen both during and after the election.
"I've never seen such anger and it's almost to the point that some of the ads are violent," he said. "I'm old you know. Why should I be worried? But I am."
Daucette said he had been an English teacher all his life. He explained that during his time as an educator, he learned the importance of choosing a leader who will set the tone.
"When I was a teacher, we always said, 'The principal sets the tone of the building,' and the president sets the tone of the country," Daucette said. "And I've seen the tone change."
Others like voter Armand Lucier said he is less stressed about the election and more concerned about whether people are prioritizing expressing their right to vote.
"Whoever gets chosen is who gets chosen," Lucier said.
Both Colley and Frissora said they find it easier to accept that these are the circumstances that we're faced with, forcing them to find ways to manage the stress elections have caused.
Frissora said completely disconnecting from time to time would be helpful.
"I would love to take a break. I would love to turn off my phone, to turn off the news, to turn off my brain, but that is a privilege I feel like I don't have," Frissora said. "I just feel like I've come to terms with those stressors, and I'm alleviating them in the best way possible while still staying informed."
While many may feel like it's their responsibility to be involved in the election, Lucier said being kind and respectful of other people's opinions can help lessen the tension surrounding elections.
"Be respectful to your fellow citizens and respect the fact that the candidate that is chosen, it was the will of the people," Lucier said. "They should be able to vote for who they want."
Rev. Allen said he hopes everyone can find peace in the pews at First Parish, encouraging people to stop in on Election Day, regardless of whether they vote red or blue.
"I think being able to sit, light a candle, say a prayer if a prayer is what you do ... this gives you all those opportunities," Allen said.
Allen said the sanctuary would be a quiet space for the full 12 hours.