Today America will go to the polls in one of the most consequential US presidential elections in decades. Who do Bermudians hope will win — Kamala Harris or Donald Trump? The Royal Gazette took to the streets to find out

Like many — including all the polls — 23-year-old Francesca Vigilante believes the result of the election is too close to call.

“I hope that it’s Kamala that wins, but I don’t know. I feel like it could be 50-50,” she said.

“I just feel like Trump is not a good person and it’s surprising to me how many people are openly supporting him in this election.

“Based on what he said publicly about different races … he said racist comments. Kamala is a better choice.”

Andrew Conyers, who has dual US and Bermudian citizenship, backed Ms Vigilante and also hoped the Democratic candidate, Ms Harris, would win.

“I just feel like she is better off for the US and the greater world,” he said.

Asked who he thought would win, Josh Fox said he believed Mr Trump would regain the presidency. “He’s got a cult following and America likes that type of thing.”

Would that be a good thing?

Mr Fox said: “Well, it depends on who you asked. But I think it would be good for the economy, maybe not everything else.”

One woman, who did not want to be named, said she hoped Harris would win.

“Anybody who votes for Trump, I personally feel has a very skewed perspective on life,” she said.

“His platform is built off hate and revenge. There should be no way that he gets re-elected.”

Was that the view of her friends as well? “Yes, I believe so,” she added. “I mean, this is also an opportunity for those of us who are women, to see a woman take office as well.”

“It’s a huge, you know, precedent that's being set from both sides. Right versus wrong, male versus female.”

Emphasising that she was speaking in a personal capacity, Kiernan Bell, an independent senator, said: “I have complete confidence in women. Go Kamala!”

She added: “I think that there are a lot of new voters who are voting for the first time, who are not being caught by the polls. I believe that any women, particularly young women and women of a certain age who perhaps remember how things used to be, don't want go back in time.”

Jada DeBraga, 19, believed Ms Harris’s push for more voter turnout might have given her an edge in the polls.

Although she admitted this was “wishful thinking”. She added: “She’s been driving a lot of different people out there to vote — and a lot more younger people.”

Allana Brown, 39, said that Ms Harris’s composure gave her more confidence in her competency — and hoped that others felt the same way.

She said: “Overall, she seems like she’s the most sensible one out of all the candidates.”

Ms Brown thought Mr Trump was too unpredictable for voters to be comfortable about, regardless of what they thought of his policies.

She believed the election would have an impact on Bermuda but was not sure how it might affect us.

Jackie Stevenson, 60, hoped to see a Democratic win — but admitted that she was not confident.

“I didn’t think Trump would get in last time, but he did,” she said. “Weird things do happen.”

Ms Stevenson also called a Trump victory “bad news” for many people, because of his comments about many groups of people, including women and immigrants.

Lucille Lambert, 82, also hoped to see Ms Harris become president.

She explained: “I think her and her government would have sensible policies.

“She has sensible aspirations when it comes to leadership and she seems like a decent person.”

Ms Lambert, on the other hand, described Mr Trump as “off-the-chart crazy” and “unfit”.

She added: “He has no morals and no integrity.”

Ms Lambert said that she was not confident in Mr Trump’s skill in international relations and feared he could pose a threat to global stability.

She added that a Harris presidency, meanwhile, was unlikely to have a negative effect on Bermuda.

Miranda Boeing, 49, said Ms Harris’s experience and political team made her a better campaigner, which she expected to see reflected at the polls.

She added that a Harris presidency would restore Bermuda’s faith in the stability and direction of the US.

“I think she knows what she’s doing,” Ms Lambert said. “I'm all for her — anybody but Trump really.

“I don’t think Trump’s about the people.”