On the eve of November 5, our correspondents in the United States answer your questions about the elections.

Do you think the election result has the potential to cause unrest or has the United States learned its lesson?

Gary, Kilmarnock

American correspondent Mark Stone says…

We hear the phrase “civil war” too much these days here in the United States.

As uncomfortable as it may be, we are not there. That’s the good news.

But we are now in a realm where something once considered impossible in modern America is now being contemplated. The tensions and anxieties in America right now run deep.

The nation is divided. There is also a division between urban and rural. There’s not much new there. But now it’s deeper.

The nation is also isolated. The different sides do not trust each other; They don’t listen to others’ perspectives.

It is perhaps easy to overlook this deep social fracture precisely because of the country’s isolated nature. Only as an outsider, living here, looking in, and having conversations across the spectrum, do I realize this profound mess.

America’s mainstream media, which has become deeply partisan, is not trusted. “I get my news online” is a phrase I hear all the time. That’s not healthy.

The institutions that act as balancing barriers are creaking, some would say compromised.

One of the two candidates in these elections constantly undermines the electoral process and the judicial process, sowing doubts among his followers. All of this was dangerous even before Donald Trump once again pushed himself to within an inch of the White House.

During Trump’s last presidency, the institutions that act as barriers that uphold a democracy (such as the courts, the military, and state officials) stood firm.

The danger this time is that a victorious Donald Trump will hire only those officials who are fully loyal to him. He has made it clear. Remember also that the power of the American presidency under a president who doesn’t care about the law is enormous.

Some experts argue that the United States has already entered a zone where it is no longer a full democracy. It is not an autocracy, but in a middle zone they call it ‘anocracy’ due to an erosion within some of the key pillars.

That is the important context through which the question of “civil war” must be considered.

The outcome of these elections will almost certainly be very close. It is very likely that there will be recounts and allegations of fraud (aggravated by Trump due to the mistrust generated).

A narrow victory for Harris would likely spark accusations of fraud from Trump.

These would be examined by courts he has already undermined and perhaps then elevated to the highest court – the Supreme Court – which he saddled with its aligned judges in his last term.

We all remember the nightmare of January 6 at the Capitol. A dress rehearsal? Let’s hope not. But the prospect of riots at state Capitol buildings in several states, where Trump-aligned politicians hold key positions, is real.

Another scenario: Trump wins, perhaps comfortably. So the danger is protests – which could turn violent – from the left, who may react against Trump’s policies, which they will see as a slide towards authoritarianism.

So do I think the election result has the potential to cause unrest? Yes. Has the United States learned its lesson? No.