A recent poll by the American Psychological Association found that 69% of Americans are significantly stressed about the upcoming presidential election. I’d love to know: Who are the other 31%, and how can I get in on that?
This race will be tight. Americans are fiercely divided over who should win. At the same time, many of us harbor similar anxieties. About 72% of Americans are worried the election results could lead to violence, and more than half (56%) believe the election could be the end of democracy in the United States.
And whatever the outcome, cavernous divisions remain. We agree in overwhelming numbers — 81% of Democrats, 82% of Republicans and 79% of independents — that we’ve lost the ability to have civil disagreements.
I recently spoke with some experts to gather advice on how to get through the stressful week (or weeks) ahead. Not for predictions on who will win, mind you. But for guidance on how we can all keep our heads.
Voting typically runs smoothly, but help is available
Not quite half of Texas voters participated in early voting (according to the most up-to-date numbers obtained Thursday), and across the country, tens of millions of Americans have already cast their ballots without difficulties or long waits — which is reassuring.
“We haven’t heard about many problems,” David Becker, head of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation & Research, told me and other journalists on a call organized by the nonprofit Free Press. “What the voters in this country are experiencing is that voting for the vast majority of people is going to be convenient and easy and secure and safe.”
For those heading to the polls Tuesday, many elections offices will have estimated wait times posted online (votetravis.gov in Travis County; wilcotx.gov and select “Elections” in Williamson) so you can choose a voting site with shorter lines.
And if you run into problems casting your ballot, call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). The hotline is administered by voting advocates with the nonpartisan Election Protection coalition who can explain the law and your options.
Accurate results take time. Be patient.
“Election Day is the one day everybody wants lots of news, but there’s really no news,” said Damon Hewitt, head of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
The one thing we all want to know — who won? — might not be clear for days, given the volume of ballots, narrow margins and dozens of other races to tally. In some key battlegrounds, such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, officials can’t even start counting the mail-in ballots until Election Day, adding to the wait.
Take heart in the fact that 98% of U.S. voters are using paper ballots, and tabulation machines have been tested and certified to meet federal security standards, the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice notes. The results will be reliable and verifiable.
Be skeptical of items in your social media feed
“You’re going to see disinformation,” Becker warned. “Disinformation is going to be highly targeted. It might be targeted at you, designed to make you angry. Be especially skeptical of videos or audio or any disinformation that seems to reinforce your preexisting beliefs. Take a pause. Hit the pause button.”
Our adversaries in Russia, Iran and China are trying to stir up conflict and division, Becker said — not just among those supporting Donald Trump, but also among those supporting Kamala Harris. Don’t think you’re immune to this type of attack.
Your best defense: Be a smart media consumer. Turn to reliable sources of information, including elections officials and reputable media organizations that are fact-checking the issues being raised.
Wait for the facts and have confidence in the system
Some observers worry that Trump might once again declare victory prematurely, as he did in 2020, so he can claim the election was “stolen” if the final count doesn’t go his way. In reality, this race will be tight. Key states will be too close to call until most, if not all, of the ballots are tallied.
Remember to be patient.
If a candidate makes vague or unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud, Becker said, “that tells you something, because the candidate who thinks they’re winning has every incentive to legitimize the process that’s going to deliver them a victory. It’s only the candidate that thinks they’re losing that spreads those kinds of lies before we can see it.”
The coming weeks are bound to be stressful, as the campaigns take disputes to court and elections officials face tremendous pressure and potential threats. Officials have to plan for the possibility of political violence: Armed guards, aerial drones and rooftop snipers are among the security measures that will be in place around the ballot tabulation center in Maricopa County, Arizona, for instance.
But I was heartened to hear from election experts who believe the guardrails are strong and the will of the people will be upheld. They note that dozens of courts rejected unsubstantiated claims of election shenanigans in 2020, and Congress in 2022 passed the Electoral Count Reform Act to better ensure each state’s results are accepted.
“It doesn’t mean election officials aren’t going to have to suffer through some abuse and harassment and threats,” Becker said. But efforts to undermine the local certification of election results “are going to fail. I can say that with absolute certainty.”
That said, expect more ugliness to come
Brace yourself for a tumultuous post-election period. Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, said online chatter about political violence is fairly muted right now in the darkest corners of the Internet. But “we expect it will explode after Election Day,” just as it did in 2020, Beirich told me and other journalists on a call last week.
She noted that election denialism has become a more prominent feature of white supremacy and anti-government movements.
“They’ve grown bigger,” Beirich said. “They’re more well financed. They’re more extreme, and their activities could be extremely disruptive post-Election Day, whether it’s frivolous-type stuff in the courts, narrative building (or) disinformation campaigns.”
Hewitt, with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, worries a Trump victory could provide a greater platform for hate speech, while a Harris victory could trigger a nasty backlash of misogyny and racism. And in either scenario, supporters of the losing candidate will take defeat hard.
“So I think we have to brace ourselves for more ugly, no matter what,” he said.
That feels worrisome and daunting, a problem much bigger than any one of us can solve. But I hope we can all try to do our part: Follow the facts, show care for our neighbors, and recognize when it’s time to take a breather. We’ll get to the other side of this.
And when we do, regardless of how you voted or whether your candidate won, there will be more work to do.
Grumet is the Statesman’s Metro columnist. Her column, ATX in Context, contains her opinions. Share yours via email at bgrumet@statesman.com or on X at @bgrumet. Find her previous work at statesman.com/opinion/columns.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: What do to for stress, feelings of hopelessness during 2024 election
