Americans in Manitoba geared up for midterm results

Manitobans who voted in America’s midterm elections gathered to watch the outcome of the vote that is a referendum on the Trump administration.

Polls across the United States closed Tuesday night to determine which party will lead in Congress and Senate.

At the Boston Pizza on Taylor Avenue, more than 2,500 kilometres from Washington, D.C., a small group of people, some dual-citizens who cast their ballot in the race, watched — and sometimes applauded — as results rolled in over pizza and drinks.

“It’s been an anxious sort of day,” said Barb Coombs, organizer of the American-Canadian Expats in Manitoba.“It’s exciting. It’s always exciting whenever people exercise their Democratic right to vote.”

Many state and congressional seats were expected to turn blue, according to the Associated Press, which reported more than 59 million Americans voted before Tuesday’s elections.

Coombs said she voted in New Hampshire through a mail-in ballot.

“It’s your civic duty to pay some attention to the issues, and form some opinions and to get your vote out there,” she said. “It’s your voice. Your vote is your voice.”

Unlike in Canada, where a person is considered a dual citizen, as an American expat, Coombs said you’re just considered “An American abroad,” and have to file an American tax return annually.

“If you’re going to file taxes, you’re going to want to have a say in the government,” she said.

She hopes the midterms lead to a “smoother road” between the two nations on trade.

“As Mark Carney said, we hope we get a trade deal signed in pen, and not one in pencil,” she said.

Coralie Bryant, who went to Minnesota to vote in mid-October, said watching what’s happening in America is “terrifying.” Speaking as results started to be tallied, she said voting in the midterms was important.

“What Trump has done, to the world actually, not just America is very worrisome,” she said, stressing the midterms feel “more critical” than in the past.

“There’s a strong feeling that we need to stand up to Trump and try to reverse some of the damage that’s been done,” Bryant said. “We can’t do that unless we have a majority in the Senate and the house.”

With relatives still living in the states, she said it’s at the point where people are scared to speak out against Trump.

“It’s hard for people, but I think it’s important to speak out. I wish more Americans did speak out,” said Bryant.

Kim Hasselriis said he felt “very hopeful” that things were tipping toward the Democrats early. He said it’s great to be among fellow Americans as the votes were tallied, but said what’s happening in a country he cares about is an “anti-democratic crisis.”

“The lack of due process. The idea that you have people in uniforms with masks on, intimidating people, the whole idea that there are people in the U.S. government willing to break up families,” Hasselriis said. “Those are the kinds of things I’m interested in.”

He said if the Democrats are victorious, it will force what he called spineless Republicans, to speak out against Trump.

“I’m hoping that if the blue wave materializes, that some Republicans will gain a backbone,” he said.

However, he doubts this vote alone, will return America to the country he knows.

“Even if the Democrats win, I’m not hopeful everything will change overnight,” Hasselriis said. “It’s probably going to be decades before the U.S. gets back to any normalcy as I know normalcy.”

morgan.modjeski@winnipegfreepress.com