Donald Trump would be a disaster for our world - Lorna Slater

Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater

The chaos that followed what felt like endless days of vote counting could have been predicted but wasn’t. Discrediting officials, casting doubt on polling integrity and inciting violence when the result didn’t go his way, it underlined why Donald Trump isn’t fit to be President, and yet he is one of only two choices for the third election in a row.

With people across the US going to the polls today, it has been hard to escape it on the news and on social media. I feel the same concern most Scots do about the prospect of a Trump return to the White House.

I have certainly not been any kind of advocate for Joe Biden, but we should be terrified by the threats and promises Trump has made and what he would mean for global security and democracy, any prospect of peace in the Middle East and the healthcare options for the 168 million women in the United States. It is an election where we have no voice, but the ramifications for our world are huge.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump

Watching the build-up to polling day, I feel an immense relief that in Scotland we are trying to do things differently. We have a voting system that better reflects the voice of our people and doesn’t force us to choose between the lesser of two evils.

Our proportional system can still be improved upon and the Scottish Greens are working collaboratively on the upcoming Elections Bill to do so. Namely to prevent those with seats in the House of Lords standing for Holyrood and to change the election deposit system to a minimum signature requirement instead.

The frustrations with our own electoral systems were on show in July when millions flocked to the polls to oust the rotten Tory government but could only do so by elevating Keir Starmer to power. How is this truly any different from the two-party system of America? The winner-takes-all First Past The Post means that lots of people don’t have their voice represented at all.

One of the many benefits of Scottish independence would be the opportunity to set up a voting system that provided our parliament and our councils with a fair proportional representation, enshrined in a written constitution.

Not only would it give a voice to all people and parts of Scotland, protecting it in a constitution would prevent wannabe-autocrats like Donald Trump from skewing democracy through hatred and fear.

When the votes are counted and the dust settles this week, let us hope that Democracy has been the true winner in America.