Kathy and Ken Parker, married for 34 years, went to their polling station unable to understand each other. The couple always disagreed on politics, but on these elections their disagreements surpassed all previous ones.

71-year-old Ken tells the Washington Post that Donald Trump represents law and order.

“Truth;” replies 63-year-old Kathy, who supports her Kamala Harris. “How many times has he been convicted?”

When Ken said he believed the government was behind the assassination attempt on Trump over the summer, Kathy shared her own thoughts on the gunman, saying, “He should have done a better job.”

A deeply divided nation heads to the polls to elect its 47th president after an unprecedented campaign that has included nasty insults, two assassination attempts, a criminal conviction for Trump, a surprise nomination for Harris and constant disinformation that has divided voters. On the eve of the election, Americans are highly motivated from the fear of the other.

Some fear Harris will bring doomsday as Trump says the US is a “country under occupation,” warns of an “invasion” of immigrants and attacks opponents he calls the “enemy within.” Others are convinced that a second Trump term would cause irreparable damage to government institutions and democracy, echoing Harris’ views that the Trump he is unstable and “seeks unchecked power”.

Voters are hopeful for different reasons: others for abortion rights or for the first time a woman of color will occupy the most powerful position in the world. Others hope for tougher border controls or a return to a time when the money they earned was enough.

But they are also afraid of what will happen, even if their candidate wins. They worry about chaos and violence: another assassination attempt, another brazen attempt to discredit Trump’s defeat, another mob like the one that stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, after believing Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election were “adulterated”.

“People who were angry in 2020 will be twice as angry, especially if he has the same attitude,” said Kathy Parker. “I just see a civil war type situation.” He believes Trump “preaches nothing but hate.”

“I hope it doesn’t get fixed,” Ken Parker said of Trump. Cathy gave him a look, “Do you really believe that?”

“I said I hope it doesn’t get fixed,” Ken repeated. “The people in power don’t want to lose the power they have and will do whatever it takes, in my opinion,” he said.

The Parkers joke about their differences and tease each other. But they have stopped trying to change the other person’s mind.

“There’s no point talking when someone isn’t listening,” Ken said.

“He believes the lies. I don’t,” Kathy said of her husband before they went to the polls.