Todd Muller, a US political junkie, former leader of the National Party, and MP for Bay of Plenty, has never seen America as divided as it is now.

On November 5, the United States of America will elect Kamala Harris or Donald Trump as President.

Muller attended the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2016 when Trump was first nominated.

Trump had not yet wholly overrun the Republican Party as it had eight years later, Muller said.

“It was still very much the country club Republicans,” he said

“Like the Rotarians with a blue blazer, white shirt, beige pants.”

Former National leader Todd Muller. Photo / file

The Republican Party has now been entirely consumed with Make America Great Again (MAGA) and started to change the political landscape of the United States.

So much has changed that George W Bush’s former Vice President Dick Cheney can no longer support Trump due to his disregard for America’s institutions and traditions.

“There are many high-profile Republicans who are doing that, including many who worked for Donald Trump,” Muller said.

Trump has done an excellent job of tapping into the traditional blue-collar base of the Democratic party, stoking fears around immigration and the economy, Muller said.

“Trump has a remarkable ability to talk to the fears of America.”

The change in US politics is not the first time America has seen such a political swing where Ronald Regan captured many Democrats during his campaign. 

“That did not last long though.”

America is a country of 350,000,000 people, and from the outside, it can be very easy to see the United States through the lens of social media, Muller said. 

“There is great anxiety across the country.” 

Trump’s stoking of fear around immigrants and threats to round them up is unacceptable. However, Muller believes that comparing him to Hitler only worsens the toxic political atmosphere in the US.

In New Zealand, there are roughly 1991 members of Democrats Abroad who are likely to vote, said Democrats Abroad Chair James A Winston III.

“This does not account for any other registered voters who may be Republicans, Independents, or Libertarians,” he said.
 
On November 5, voters will go to the polls in 50 states and five voting territories.

Each has its election bylaws and standards for counting the ballots.

“In Michigan, they have begun counting and processing absentee ballots while others  such as Texas do not begin counting early and absentee ballots until after polls close in the state,” Winston said

Overseas votes can vary, and some have to mail their ballots home via an online portal or fax. 

When Donald Trump faced Hillary Clinton in 2016, Winston said there was an immediate change in policy and the US’s global standing.

 Candidate for President of the United States, Donald Trump. Photo / supplied

From 2016 to 2020, Americans experienced Trump’s leadership firsthand, and allies and adversaries gained insights on engaging with his administration.

“In October of 2020, Trump told the Domestic Terrorist group the Proud Boys to ‘Stand Back and Stand By,’” he said. 

“In the current election cycle, he has threatened to prosecute the enemy within and has included mainstream politicians who oppose him and the press who report his actions and words.”

Voting is just as important overseas as it is on American soil. Many people living overseas still have friends, family, and financial interests in the country, many of which will be impacted by the outcome of this election.

It is not just the presidency that is up for reelection; Americans will have 20-40 races to vote in.

“A third of the US senators are up for election every 2 years, as are all congressional representatives,” Winston said.

“Many states will have elections for governor this round along with other state elected positions, and even counties and cities may have elections coinciding with the presidential election.”

Winston said that the presidency was chosen by winning the Electoral College.

The Electoral College is the system used to elect the president and vice president of the United States. 

It comprises 538 electors—435 from the House of Representatives, three delegates, and 100 Senators—and a candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win.

Political parties select electors, and each state legislature appoints them. Most states and Washington DC use a “winner-takes-all” system, awarding all electoral votes to the candidate who wins the majority of the popular vote in that state.

Established as a compromise at the US Constitutional Convention, the Electoral College has faced over 700 reform proposals in the past 200 years, including moving to a national popular vote system, but none have been successful.