America's cities are bracing for violence as soon as tomorrow.
Driving the news: Landmarks, stores, and restaurants in New York, Washington D.C. and other cities are boarding up their doors in fear that Election Day will bring another blow to their businesses, many of which are already reeling from the pandemic and damage from protests.
Why it matters: The election’s outcome could lead to civil unrest, no matter who wins. People all over the country are preparing for the worst.
In photos
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FRA4J4dqAnNKvEKMWp6sjnIdCFso%3D%2F2020%2F11%2F02%2F1604353918259.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=104&h=be2b1a994c8fbc7b253966cbc8b360b3a3e261ce0d2c06c7cfe3e496a51d4205&size=980x&c=2179022077 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FRA4J4dqAnNKvEKMWp6sjnIdCFso%253D%252F2020%252F11%252F02%252F1604353918259.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D104%26h%3Dbe2b1a994c8fbc7b253966cbc8b360b3a3e261ce0d2c06c7cfe3e496a51d4205%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2179022077%22%7D" expand=1]A store with Trump graffiti in Soho, New York, on Monday. Photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FdhVaugfuYe4bMqDz4gvmGGCJ2dA%3D%2F2020%2F11%2F02%2F1604350640564.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=97&h=611d8504cb35a87bc8007ea57e40631b1bce1207c9ca5d56f97fbb45c9f66e0b&size=980x&c=531373234 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FdhVaugfuYe4bMqDz4gvmGGCJ2dA%253D%252F2020%252F11%252F02%252F1604350640564.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D97%26h%3D611d8504cb35a87bc8007ea57e40631b1bce1207c9ca5d56f97fbb45c9f66e0b%26size%3D980x%26c%3D531373234%22%7D" expand=1] Craftsmen attach wooden panels to shop windows for protection in the upscale Fifth Avenue shopping mile. Photo: Christina Horsten/picture alliance via Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2F0fSG4cJhC366Qk1ZaNqtPlCU8DY%3D%2F2020%2F11%2F02%2F1604350723193.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=560&h=12e19bdd26f4965f84372c95f3f424a5220f11a0279b85241eccf76e130b383c&size=980x&c=1500761066 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252F0fSG4cJhC366Qk1ZaNqtPlCU8DY%253D%252F2020%252F11%252F02%252F1604350723193.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D560%26h%3D12e19bdd26f4965f84372c95f3f424a5220f11a0279b85241eccf76e130b383c%26size%3D980x%26c%3D1500761066%22%7D" expand=1] Craftsmen attach wooden boards to the shop windows of the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. Photo: Christina Horsten/picture alliance via Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FVhJruFSP0ziFgfCl_ChOHHuOyIk%3D%2F2020%2F11%2F02%2F1604350974640.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=93&h=36adc262db44be6801a841df46bd2b0b115d5ba54887960ef99b407ec41e621a&size=980x&c=1780952317 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FVhJruFSP0ziFgfCl_ChOHHuOyIk%253D%252F2020%252F11%252F02%252F1604350974640.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D93%26h%3D36adc262db44be6801a841df46bd2b0b115d5ba54887960ef99b407ec41e621a%26size%3D980x%26c%3D1780952317%22%7D" expand=1] A person passes by a business boarded up in the Soho area. Soho was one of the areas where most of the looting occurred in June. Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FQXGhm-bISZozUnxy0qoZXkHUxHk%3D%2F2020%2F11%2F02%2F1604351081426.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=211&h=80d7a5d719a0d2ecaf80c643e2cc18db321b7fe121c4bfabc617124fb2ccf8e5&size=980x&c=1613667514 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FQXGhm-bISZozUnxy0qoZXkHUxHk%253D%252F2020%252F11%252F02%252F1604351081426.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D211%26h%3D80d7a5d719a0d2ecaf80c643e2cc18db321b7fe121c4bfabc617124fb2ccf8e5%26size%3D980x%26c%3D1613667514%22%7D" expand=1] The White House is seen behind fencing and barriers at Black Lives Matter plaza, 3 days before the election. Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FDpeW0WtJrmZe0-8b1KXqZse7kkA%3D%2F2020%2F11%2F02%2F1604350882898.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=468&h=39cb0ed95bedcaa897f98a6daec95fbe611451418862c20c18371a4809b7dc97&size=980x&c=1303048293 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FDpeW0WtJrmZe0-8b1KXqZse7kkA%253D%252F2020%252F11%252F02%252F1604350882898.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D468%26h%3D39cb0ed95bedcaa897f98a6daec95fbe611451418862c20c18371a4809b7dc97%26size%3D980x%26c%3D1303048293%22%7D" expand=1] Concrete barriers are put in place to stabilize black fencing that surround the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building across from Lafayette Square. Photo: Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FR9_cXbI0O8Ml5xfAhhtwJY7f8Vw%3D%2F2020%2F11%2F02%2F1604352077863.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=1000&h=a4fa8461f44ad01789e3f84cd6415ca953a07fe74f8ca8a359cbed2b8332b872&size=980x&c=1812683530 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FR9_cXbI0O8Ml5xfAhhtwJY7f8Vw%253D%252F2020%252F11%252F02%252F1604352077863.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D1000%26h%3Da4fa8461f44ad01789e3f84cd6415ca953a07fe74f8ca8a359cbed2b8332b872%26size%3D980x%26c%3D1812683530%22%7D" expand=1] People walk past a shop being boarded up in precaution to unrest related to the election. Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images
Go deeper: A safe, sane way to navigate election night — and beyond
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