The windows have been reinforced with bullet-resistant glass. Sniffer dogs patrol the area. The guards in the 24-hour armed security wear full body shields and twitch nervously at every bang or slam. The doors have freshly installed lockdown bolts.

It looks like a scene from a zombie apocalypse film. But, far from it, this is a scene from American democracy's dystopianRelating to an imagined society where there is great suffering or injustice.  new reality.

Election officials across the 10,000 jurisdictionsSystems of law courts. of the USA have implemented high-security measures to protect themselves against an unprecedentedNever been seen before. quantity of threats ahead of America's vote today.

They were hired to count ballots and maintain all the electronics as a rush of voters head to the polls. But they face widespread militarisation on election day.

It has been a campaign season fraught with aggression. Two assassination attempts, a would-be political mass murderer from Arizona,¹ arson at ballot drop boxes in Oregon and Washington state. A whopping 70% of election officials believe that threats of violence have increased since 2020.²

Fear of election violence is not unprecedented. On 6 January, 2021, a mob of Trump supporters incited by the former president stormed the United States Capitol Building in Washington.

Some say it is the death toll of democracy. Even if election day proceeds without a hitch, we should not have to protect our fair votes with guns and armour.

But the catastrophe scenario is yet more sobering. Recent reports on conspiracy theorists and online chatter have led experts to warn that there could be widespread upheaval in the wake of the election.³

With a tight race projected in many states, the election is set to be uncertain. News outlets are unlikely to name a winner until the day after voting takes place, and the process will likely be set back by recounts and legal challenges.

But some wonder if the election officials will even have time to count the votes before American democracy crumbles into ashes.

Will there be a result tomorrow?

Yes: Many will want to call the vote as soon as possible to avoid unrest and disorder. Besides, this could easily be a landslide victory for one of the candidates, in which case the result will become clear rapidly.

No: In 2000, George W Bush and Al Gore battled for over a month to see who had won the race. We should prepare for plenty of uncertainty. Even if it does not take a month this time, we could be waiting for a day or longer.

Or... Will America even make it to the count? People waving machetes at voters and trying to blow up ballot drop boxes? US democracy might not survive the day, let alone live long enough to call the results.