Opinion: In the U.S., an election driven by emotion

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We often mock young voters for “going off vibes” rather than policy, but the results of Tuesday’s U.S. election highlight a truth many overlook: Politics has always been driven by emotion.

The core issues — whether abortion, immigration or the economy — aren’t merely intellectual exercises; they strike at the heart of how safe, how seen and how validated people feel.

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As a political science student, I’m trained to analyze results in a way that is rational, impartial and clear-eyed. Yet, with this election, I couldn’t shake a feeling of disappointment — even fear — and was left grappling with a sense of unease and struggling to reconcile what I know with how I feel.

This emotional struggle becomes especially stark when examining the gender divide on issues like abortion. Many had hoped that Democrats’ emphasis on reproductive rights would draw a strong response from women. And yet, significant numbers of women cast their votes for Republican candidates who oppose these rights. Rationally, I can understand that women may oppose abortion for personal or religious reasons. But as a woman, it’s hard to comprehend voting to restrict another’s right to choose.

There was a similar expectation for young people to rally behind Democratic candidates, and yet the turnout tells a different story. Many younger voters seemed disillusioned, disinterested or uncertain. This push against expectations speaks to a frustration with a political system that promises change yet struggles to deliver it. Just as emotion is central to political choices, so too is the fatigue of promises left unfulfilled.

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Some are calling this election “the end of the woke era,” a supposed rejection of progressive ideals. Trump’s campaign tapped into this backlash with surgical precision, delivering ads like “Kamala is for they/them; Trump is for us.” The slogan captured the weariness of many Americans who felt alienated by discussions of identity and inclusion. Emotionally, they may feel uncomfortable, even defensive. And yet, ending these discussions doesn’t make them go away; it only delays the reckoning with our evolving social fabric.

The Democrats’ decision to enter the election with a Joe Biden-Kamala Harris ticket once more didn’t do them any favours either. People are tired of more of the same. Donald Trump, by contrast, tapped into a visceral demand change, however chaotic. Here again, emotion is at play: the desire for something new, something bold.

As a Canadian, I’m struck by the weight American voters carry. In Canada, our elections matter to us, but they don’t hold the world captive. For Americans, every vote feels as though it has global consequences, and that burden of expectation must be overwhelming. Rationally, I understand that Americans are prioritizing their own issues, their own needs. And yet, I can’t help but feel a sense of disappointment, knowing that their choices echo beyond their borders, affecting economies, trade agreements and global stability.

Ultimately, I’m left wrestling with my own emotions. I am disappointed, but I know, too, that nothing in politics is black and white. I’ve been taught to weigh both sides, to search for nuance, to make sense of results. And yet, this very attempt to rationalize my feelings — to justify the outcome — is an emotional act. It reveals that democracy, at its heart, is about the human experience, about the hopes, fears and needs that drive us all.

It’s a reminder that in politics, as in life, we vote not only with our minds, but with our hearts. And maybe that’s exactly as it should be.

Sarah Assalian is a master’s student in political science specializing in public and international affairs at the Université de Montréal.

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