Earlier this summer, someone suggested “turning the United States off and back on again”.
One month ago we did — Biden out and Kamala in. Since the week that saw the thwarted assassination attempt of Trump and the Democrats switch hitters, the U.S. presidential election went into overdrive.
Being an American and living outside of US has never felt stranger, and in November we can help decide the fate of a country we left behind.
Leading up to the election, I’ve been interviewing fellow Americans in Spain; voters from both sides of the tickets, and uncovered some common concerns, along with (hopefully helpful) advice.
Does my vote matter?
Yes, your vote matters; maybe more than in any previous election. Updated polls show the candidates are neck to neck.
For the first time, campaigns are spending funds to target overseas voters. The Democratic National Committee dedicated $300,000 to support voter registration and activation overseas, hoping to win the 9 million potential votes.
In 2020, only 8 percent of Americans living overseas were registered. If you’re from a swing state like Pennsylvania (my hometown), your vote carries particular weight. The process is pretty simple, so check the U.S. Consulate website and set yourself up for voter success.
Biases, corruption and fraud
Many voters are concerned about the system itself — regardless of the candidate.
“My plan is to be out of the US before the election,” Erika, who is leaving Chicago for Madrid in October, told The Local Spain.
“I think that the shit will hit the fan if either one of our very poor choices gets in. The system is corrupt, whichever party gets in is just a puppet of the lobbyists. There’s a long list of why I want out”.
For many, the media is as problematic as the candidates.
“Discussing policy is one thing, but overt lies, misinformation, and AI-generated hate videos cannot be counted,” says Douglas, who moved from Missouri to Galicia.
Some Americans were just happy to hear I was searching for opinions from both the Democrat and Republican side, which in all honesty wasn’t easy.
My neighbourhood back home is split 50/50 but in Barcelona, my U.S. community is completely blue. For this article, I reached out to Americans throughout Spain — searching as well for Trump supporters to avoid biased reporting.
“I’m as never-Trumper as it gets, but I hate biased media – on both sides,” argued Vee, who left Arizona for Valencia last March.
READ ALSO:
- Why life in Spain is better than in the US, according to Americans
- A quick guide to political bias on Spanish TV and radio
Can trust the information I’m getting?
Misinformation is a concern for everyone, but it can feel more daunting when you’re not on the ground.
Karen from Connecticut says she’s been getting more information from social media since moving to Spain.
“It’s a mix of Twitter, WhatsApp, and YouTube,” she told The Local. Before moving to Málaga, Karen regularly tuned in to her local news station. So far, she hasn’t found a good substitute.
As more newsies move towards subscription platforms, people are choosing favourites. “I can’t say my news sources weren’t biased when I lived in the States but at least I switched channels now and again — I wanted to see what the other guy was saying — but now I pay a monthly fee for my favourite paper, and that’s pretty much my news source,” says Gary from New York.
If you’re having similar struggles, you can try subscribing to a press aggregator rather than to a single channel. A few options include News360, Apple News, and Google News.
The downside is that the algorithm learns what news you prefer and gives you more of that, causing a built-in bias. Another option is channels rated ‘less biased’, although there’s likely a bias in the ranking system.
That being said, The Associated Press and Reuters consistently score among the least biased news sources.
You can also get your local radio from abroad. NPR offers podcasts of their various channels, including your local station.
‘I’d vote differently if I was living in the States rather than if I stay in Spain’
For Americans particularly led by policy, future planning can be a problem. For others, it’s simply difficult to trust what policies each candidate subscribes to.
“Without being in the U.S. and really feeling the political atmosphere, it’s hard to know which way things are going,” says Francis from Missouri.
“My family is pressuring me to vote one way, but the issues that affect them aren’t the same as the issues that affect me.”
Other Americans I spoke with are focused on how the next U.S. president would impact their life in Spain. Concerns were less domestic and more global.
“For most of us, the currency exchange rate is extremely important,” Fred from Mississippi told The Local Spain.
“We get our retirement income in dollars and have to convert it to euros. During the first Trump administration, the rate was horrible. The rate has since recovered to what it was when Obama left office. This is not a small matter. We lost more than $15,000 during those years. We don’t want to go back to that”.
On the other hand, Maureen from South Carolina told The Local “our retirement portfolio more than quadrupled under Trump or we wouldn’t have been able to retire. We’re not pulling out of the market in the US. We’re making more than the loss in exchange. We’re concerned at the debt the US is incurring and whether it will influence social security.”
When it comes to which candidate is the best choice for you, people will surely vote on a variety of topics that hit close to home. Like people living in the States, Americans abroad seem primarily focused on the economy.
Overall, there’s a greater concern for global stability; the developing wars are closer to home in Spain than to voters in the United States.
“I fear for Europe if Trump wins,” says Nancy, who moved to Barcelona from Colorado.
“We are most concerned about the US being a stabilising force in the world, whether by politics, or military backup. Harris is untested in this arena. We don’t like the choices honestly,” says Maureen, who moved from Wisconsin to San Sebastián.
READ ALSO:
- Crime in Spain is different to the US, particularly if you’re a woman
- 10 things I found shocking as an American when moving to Spain
Will democracy prevail?
Finally, some Americans are concerned about democracy itself.
“I am definitely worried about election interference in the forms of my absentee ballot not being counted and an insurrection such as what happened on January 6th 2021,” says Debbie, who left New Jersey for Córdoba.
“I send my absentee ballot with a tracking number; it gives me more peace of mind.”
You can also visit your local consulate and use their mailing service. As far as insurrection, I’m keeping my fingers crossed we don’t have a repeat of 2021.
LISTED: The visa options Americans can apply for to live in Spain
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Please don´t fall prey to the Repubs´ partisan put-down of referring to Democrat this and Democrat that. In this article you refer to the Democratic (not the Democrat) National Convention, right? Read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democrat_Party_(epithet)
I think it’s worth noting that there are many Democrats who have no interest in Harris, and many Republicans that have no interest in Trump. Republican does not equal Trump. In fact, a good many center leaning Democrats now resemble the Conservative of decades past. I’ve always been a Democrat my whole life, and I find myself longing for the “good old days” of George Bush.
It’s good to know that American expats are engaged in the election. Their votes certainly count, as does the vote of every citizen. We haven’t moved to Spain yet but are actively working on it and hope to do so within 3 years. I love my country and am a proud Air Force veteran, but look forward to a change of scenery and culture.
For all Americans overseas: this site is nonpartisan and will send you annual reminders on voter registration and deadlines for getting your ballots back. Highly recommended https://www.votefromabroad.org
So many typos and grammatical errors! This journalist may be an American but I doubt English is her first language. Ugh!
US citizens living abroad are eligible to vote in their last state of residence, no matter how long they have lived overseas. Even if you have regularly received your absentee ballot, you need to re-register every year due to voter suppression. Please go to https://www.votefromabroad.org/ to register immediately – some states have September deadlines to register.
I and my adult family members who live overseas all vote. There are 6 of us now. I taught English language and citizenship classes at my local library in the states. Voting is a right, privilege, and responsibility.
I’m from Florida and after 25 years of voting there have suddenly discovered I cannot vote unless I contact them? This is DeSantis removing Democrats from the rolls if he can. This is how the GOP would run the country now–minus democracy.