Kathmandu. According to the International Crisis Group (ICG), an independent organization, that works to prevent conflict around the globe, the US Presidential Election is at risk of dissolving in chaos.

ICG sounded the alarm last week that certain groups may disrupt the process of the election and lay the grounds for a prolonged conflict. It has also highlighted the situation of the polarized electorate and the President’s comments on critical issues that may create more agitation following the results.

The analysis has underscored some vital issues surrounding the sentiments of the voters, the segregated flow of information from the media outlets, mistrust on the ballots, Trump’s rhetorics that has increased divisions, and a contested outcome that may result from a narrow win for either of the candidates.

“Political polarisation in the U.S. is also unusually multifaceted when compared to other democracies, in that it separates voters along multiple axes – including faith, ethnicity and ideology,” including the urban-rural divide, the report has noted. The study has indicated the Democratic Party has been less inclined towards religion, and grown more ethnically diverse in the past few years. The groups that support the Republicans, on the other hand, are mostly evangelical, white, relatively less educated, rural Southeners, who have ardently backed the “Make America Great Again” slogan and mostly do not support the Black Lives Matter movement.

The deep divisions have been fueled by the political parties, with some Democratic candidates labelling the Republicans as “ethno-nationalists”, and the Republicans shooting back with the allegations that Democrats sought to dismiss the identity of the US and “change the nation’s character and cost American workers their prosperity and way of life.”

ICG had further mentioned that Trump’s “toxic rhetoric,” has not helped to cool the rising tensions in the nation. “Trump’s reaction to militia activity over the course of his four years has been marked by a tendency to on one hand minimise its importance and on the other offer cryptic statements that can be viewed as a form of support,” the report asserts.

An example of this cane be his refusal to renounce the activities of the Proud Boys Group, that has been categorized as a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a leading US civil rights advocacy institution. The group has been known for furthering white nationalism and endorsing anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Republicans in quite a few states, have further been inclined towards contesting the electoral votes, as they “have been exploring the possibility of using disputed or protracted vote counts as a pretext for Republican-controlled state legislatures to appoint electors under their own authority.”

In the view of the possible fallout that may be caused by all of these factors on Election Day, a high ranking police official in a CNN report has commented, “I’ve never seen anything like it,” and that they were “doing everything we can to be prepared to protect the city, and not get ourselves hurt, and not become the story.” Police departments throughout the country are bracing themselves for any untoward activities on Election Day, tomorrow. Hundreds of officers have been deployed to ensure that peace is maintained in the concerned states.

The Department of Homeland Security, had published a report early on in October, where they had cautioned that the “racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists—specifically white supremacist extremists9 (WSEs)—will remain the most persistent and lethal threat in the Homeland.” The Homeland Threat Assessment Report 2020 noted that the elections are a period where racial tensions are exacerbated, and the faith in the institutions get a bit shaky, and it was during these times that American fall prey to the misinformation circulated by international actors, seeking to undermine the democratic foundations of the US.

ICG has suggested for the concerned authorities to remain vigilant during the processes. It has, moreover, recommended that the traditional media outlets and social media platforms remain unbiased in producing their contents, and refrain from early celebrations, “which can create the impression that the result has been fixed, or, conversely, foster resentment in the event the call has to be reversed.”

The fear of violence on Election Day is palpable. A YouGov Poll has indicated that 56% of the voters were dreading an increase of violence after the elections. Carolyn Gallaher, a Professor at the School of International Service at American University, has cautioned that “there will be protests no matter who wins,” however, it was uncertain if these demonstrations could turn violent.

The US stands today more divided than ever. With multiple groups positing their concerns and the authorities getting anxious for the outcome of the Presidential race, Election Day may be the staging ground for these divisions to spill over in violent masses.