Image via CSA Images
***
Election Day: a decidedly far less festive November holiday compared to Thanksgiving for Americans. Depending on who your family members are, however, it’s potentially just as polarizing. Between midterms, spring registration, and a presidential election, there is a seemingly unholy trinity spanning thirty days for students. The idea that elections are anxiety-inducing byproducts of democracy is by no means breaking news, but to what extent are people mentally affected, and how should they deal with the aftermath of whatever the results may be?
Before we can talk recovery, it is important to understand where our stress is sourced and how it affects different subsets of the voting pool.
In a discussion with Fordham’s own Lindsay Hoyt, Associate Professor and Director of Applied Developmental Psychology, a correlation was shown between the approaching election and increased stress levels.
Based on research being performed by Hoyt’s department in New York state, “86% of [their] young adult (18-25 yr old) participants agreed/strongly agreed that the election was stressing them out,” with a noticeable peak on the night of the election itself. Putting this number under a microscope, Hoyt qualified that people’s political affiliations, gender, race, and socioeconomic standings are all factors that contribute to varying reported stress.
Referencing the results of a previous study done in 2016, “men felt less positive as the election approached,” said Hoyt, “but they had a slight boost in positive emotions and lower stress levels on election night.” The inverse was observed among women.
So, it has been confirmed that elections have a direct relationship with stress and how it is experienced differently across the country. But what emotions can we assign to said stress?
According to Hoyt, there is a pattern of negative emotions such as hostility, distress, and fear tending to climb until the night of the election, after which they experience a drop. “Across contexts, uncertainty is a strong predictor of stress,” said Hoyt, adding that this election “is especially uncertain.”
Looking strictly at online polls, it is easy for one to experience some whiplash in the frequently changing results, but take these projections with a grain of salt. In an interview with FPR, Fordham Professor of Political Science Monika McDermott explained the discrepancies regarding polls such as the Times/Siena poll.
“Polls are trying to predict the national popular vote, not the electoral college vote,” said McDermott. “Only the latter elects the president.”
There is no mistaking the unpredictability of this election, so much so that it is being referred to as a “seemingly permanent deadlock.” If what Hoyt reports stands true about uncertainty magnifying stress, it is likely that the drop of those negative emotions will not be as dramatic of a drop as one might hope.
Research indicates that “sociopolitical events like elections may be particularly salient for young adults exploring their identities and preparing for their futures.” Voting is a privilege as well as a responsibility, yet is frequently seen as the culprit to blame for election dread. To combat this, it is suggested that there be more organizations committed to supporting those suffering most from sociopolitical stress.
Details of infographic from APA’s 2024 Stress in America survey.
In an episode of the podcast Data Points—hosted by Holley Davis, the Communications Director at Policy Research—Hoyt advocated for universities to “promote civic development on campus” to foster a healthy relationship with political involvement for students.
Given all of this socio-psycho baggage, election day is set to be the least exciting jolly holiday, especially if the outcome is not what you align with. But that’s no excuse to throw in the towel. Instead, McDermott advised citizens to become more involved with the political system.
“If you don’t like the results of an election,” said McDermott, “learn to get involved and work for what you want…beyond simply voting.”
As for receiving happy news after an election (whether it takes a day or a week), treat it like a sports game and accept victory with grace and sportsmanship. As McDermott asserted, “Nobody likes a sore winner.”
The presidency alone historically holds limited power, but McDermott informed that during Trump’s term in office, he expanded that power.
“Congress is a check on the president,” said McDermott, “but only, really, if the House [and/or] Senate are controlled by the party not holding the White House.”
For this reason, it is paramount that voters stay engaged in elections beyond just the presidential. Instead of resigning yourself to despair over potentially disappointing results, remember that the U.S. government was designed to include checks and balances. There are still elections you can be involved with to get your party into positions in the legislative branch. This is another reason not to flee the country; there is nothing more anti-democracy than abandoning your cause because of one election and disregarding the potential cushions of Senate and House members.
Most importantly, no matter how upset you may be from losing, don’t turn to slander and pitchforks. That’s coming from a rural Pennsylvania resident who grew up surrounded by farmland, so I know a fair bit about pitchforks.
While you should (and hopefully have) voted and gotten involved with campaign efforts, it’s important to remember that it is okay to tune out the issues that you can’t control. Try to surround yourself with people who can act as a support system and provide some much-needed entertainment and distraction.
“If you are feeling stressed about the election that means you care,” declared Hoyt. “And you can do something about it!”
***
This article was edited by Matthew Quirindongo and Sofia Roshan Hope Gellada.
