The U.S. Election Impact on My Life in Italy

It feels a bit surreal. Here in Treviso, most of my circle is hoping Kamala wins. Italians often ask me, “What do you think will happen? Who do you think will win?” I usually respond that the country feels incredibly divided, and it could go either way. I honestly don’t know what the results will be but if it’s anything like the 2020 election, a fight for the votes.

As for me, I voted via absentee ballot. There’s a website—Overseas Citizen Voter, https://www.fvap.gov/citizen-voter—that allows U.S. citizens abroad to cast their ballots before November 5th. They recommend sending ballots in early October, however, as long as it’s received by November 5th it is still counted. You can even request ballots from the U.S. Consulate close to your city.

Reflecting on the 2016 election when I was in the U.S., the media coverage was so pervasive that it was hard to escape, even for a few hours. It was everywhere—on all channels, in newspapers, online, and in magazines.

It was constant: “Trump or Clinton, Trump or Clinton.” With Trump’s controversial rhetoric, living in New York during that election was incredibly stressful. I remember thinking, “This is too intense.” On election night, I went to bed and woke at 2 a.m. to find Trump had won. My heart sank; I was utterly disheartened.

Fast forward to another election, and now we’re in 2024. Being in another country for this election is different. I should mention that I don’t own a television. And I feel less tension and less anxiety than I did before.

For news, I rely on various independent outlets to gather information about the election, candidates, their views, and policies. I follow individuals who aim to share important election information objectively, including Ijeoma Oluo. She provides honest and deep discussions about the election and a vast array of other important issues

It’s refreshing not to feel bombarded by constant messaging from both sides—those brief clips saying, “Trump did this. Do you want him as your president?” or “Kamala voted for this in the past. Do you want her as your president?” The back-and-forth is anguishing.

Now it’s November 4th, and we’re one day away from the election. Many of my friends in the U.S. are extremely stressed, and I feel that stress too. I worry for them because they’re living where these policy changes directly impact their lives. While I’m affected by some policy changes here in Italy, I’m somewhat removed from the immediate impact.

I’m in a more neutral space. I’ll say that I’m not a Trump supporter. Regarding the Biden presidency, I believe some progress was made, but not enough. I feel the entire election system needs an overhaul, though I’m not sure exactly how to approach this.

If Kamala is elected, I believe she has the potential to make crucial policy changes. I’ll mention in another post why I haven’t moved back to the U.S., one reason being gun control.

Gun control is a significant policy issue that needs addressing. I’ve researched gun laws in Italy and the U.S. extensively, and they’re vastly different—I’ll discuss this in another blog post. While both Trump and Kamala own guns, Kamala supports gun control.

I’ve talked with some U.S. citizens here about possibly gathering on Election Day to follow the results. Being six hours ahead, we won’t get the final results until around 5 or 6 a.m. on November 6th.

I’m not as stressed as I was when living in the U.S., but I feel the stress for others there. There’s an underlying tension bubbling to the surface. I empathize with those in the U.S. trying to leave—it’s not easy to leave, but it’s not easy to stay either.

Fast forward to another election, and now we’re in 2024. Being in another country for this election is different. I should mention that I don’t own a television. For several years it really has helped me to feel more in control of how I access media coverage that is safe and free of anxiety.

Living in Italy during this election is not constantly in discussion. The Italians I’ve spoken to are curious but don’t seem to have strong preferences between Kamala or Trump. The U.S. citizens here, however, are deeply concerned for their families and friends back home. I am too.

I’m cautiously optimistic, but honestly, I don’t know how it will go. With all the attacks on voters, it feels dirty. The whole election atmosphere is unfriendly and toxic. It seems like everyone’s out to get each other, and whoever survives will win. Everyone’s just trying to make it through, regardless of the outcome.

I’ll be here to comfort friends who are distressed if things take a dark turn. While I don’t feel at the epicenter of it all, I certainly feel the energy. I’m glad not to be right in the middle of it—it can be so dark. We don’t need more dark days. No one does.

I want our country to get back on track with better healthcare, more social programs, support for the arts and theater—more support for its citizens overall. It feels like we’re being tossed like a bag of laundry and then swept aside. The needs of U.S. citizens aren’t truly being met.

So if you are living abroad at the moment, what are your feelings as a U.S. citizen? And for non-U.S. citizens, how do you view this upcoming election? Does it feel disconnected from you, or do you think it could have far-reaching impacts?

Whoever wins the presidency, the ripple effect is substantial.