Paula Luckhoff5 November 2024 | 17:50

Whether it's Harris or Trump elected president, Americans face another divided government

As millions of Americans cast their ballots on Election Tuesday, polling suggests this will be a historically close presidential election.

Whether it's Harris or Trump elected president, Americans face another divided government

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Stephen Grootes interviews multimedia journalist Kane Farabaugh, Midwest correspondent for Voice of America.

In the US election currently underway, all eyes will be on the so-called swing states when the results start coming in.

Despite the intense campaigning Americans have seen from both Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump, the consensus is that this will be an incredibly close presidential election.

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Stephen Grootes gets some insight from journalist Kane Farabaugh, Midwest correspondent for Voice of America (VOA).

Reporting from one of those swing, or battleground states - Wisconsin, Farabaugh says the polarisation that exists in the US is not going to be resolved by this election.

"I think what polling tells us is that neither candidate is going to win this election overwhelmingly, and so the political division... isn't going to be resolved.
"Regardless of the outcome, there are issues that still will be fraught as they are discussed, regardless of who wins the White House, who wins Congress and who wins the Senate."
Kane Farabaugh, Midwest Correspondent - Voice of America

Farabaugh notes that part of this polarisation actually happens long before an election campaign starts - that's in the primary process where voters need to be reached through a message which is directly aligned with parties' principles.

"The question is going to be what is the party or who is the politician that is able to bring Americans back together across the political divide. I don't know that there's an answer that we see in either presidential candidate... 
"A lot of that is to do with the way our primary system works in America when it comes to the Congress and the Senate ."
Kane Farabaugh, Midwest Correspondent - Voice of America

Explaining the complexity of the system, Farabough says that Americans have typically voted, at least in the last several elections, for divided governments.

This makes it very difficult off the bat for legislation to be passed.

There's absolutely no indication that this endless cycle is about to change, he reiterates.

Scroll to the top of the article to listen to Farabaugh's report