US residents on the Island are eagerly awaiting the results of today’s presidential election.The election will be the culmination of a heated campaign between the incumbent President Barack Obama and the Republican candidate Mitt Romney.Cortney Bernstein, from New York, said that she has thrown her support behind Governor Romney.“He is truly the only candidate that has the knowledge of how to run a business and economy,” she said.“He has experience not only in the business world but also holding public office. His priorities are with improving the country, not supporting an ego or unproven theory.“Romney has run on a clear plan not empty words like ‘change’ or ‘forward’. He has proven himself a leader. He truly knows how to work with all kinds of people.”She said she will be closely watching today’s election coverage, saying: “It is important to me that this election runs smoothly and fairly.”Fellow New Yorker Linda Weinraub however said that she has cast her vote for President Obama, describing him as an intelligent and analytical person.“I think he has a genuine interest and desire to see lower and middle class Americans succeed,” Ms Weinraub said.She also expressed her concerns that the election of Governor Romney would move the country in the wrong direction.“I do not think he represents the interests of lower and middle class Americans. He is and has always been a member of the financial elite.“I think Romney is an ego-centric politician who has lied and shifted his political ideas throughout his campaign to manipulate voters. He is a very good showman and I'm concerned that a good number of American people are falling for his antics.”Victoria Benz, meanwhile, has said she has not been following the election closely and has decided against voting for either candidate this year.“I’ve voted for both Republicans and Democrats in the past, but being slightly out of the loop here in Bermuda, I don’t feel I know enough to cast an intelligent vote in this election.“I do feel that people are particularly passionate about their candidates this time around for various reasons. My friends and family are super jacked up about this election and the candidate they are supporting — saying things like they will move out of the US should the opposite candidate get elected.“From my perspective the economy is still the number one priority in the US, but as to who is the better candidate to address it, I have no idea.”A spokeswoman for the US Consulate said that they had helped more American citizens with voting this year than in the past, possibly due to US legislation passed in 2009 making it easier to vote from overseas.Last month, the consulate hosted an absentee voting outreach event aimed at helping US citizens register to vote either electronically or by courier.“We had around 75 to 100 people show up, which was about three to four times the number of attendees we were expecting,” the spokeswoman said. “We were there about two-and-a-half hours“In addition, we received 90 absentee ballots here at the Consulate and couriered them out on October 30. We have also offered assistance to American citizens with absentee voting through numerous calls and e-mails and many one-on-one visits here at the Consulate, and continue to received requests for assistance.”