Election anxiety and the problem with polarisation

Over the course of this US presidential election campaign, the undulations of the polls have resembled the contours of gently rolling hills. For many voters, however, it has been an emotional rollercoaster, destined to come to a rest either at a high of exhilaration or a desperate low of despair.

The American Psychological Association this year found that fears about the future of the nation had become the most common source of significant stress, affecting 77 per cent of adults. Just five years ago, worries about healthcare and mass shootings topped the list. Today nearly one in seven (69 per cent) see the coming presidential election as a significant stressor, similar to 2020 but far higher than the 52 per cent who felt that way in 2016.