US election How Harris win could depend on Democrats overseas

On a chilly afternoon in central London, the battle for the US presidential election is being waged with no less fervour than if the campaigners were on the other side of the Atlantic.

- Ben Quinn

Surrounded by posters for the Democratic ticket of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, volunteers at an office organised by Democrats Abroad have been calling Americans living overseas, including wavering Republicans, and urging them to register to vote. The event was part of a Day of Action at locations around the UK, estimated to be home to as many as 200,000 Americans. By the evening, activists from chapters based in locations ranging from Scotland to English university cities were due to tune into a Zoom rally addressed by Nancy Pelosi, former speaker of the House of Representatives.

Kristin Wolfe, chair of Democrats Abroad UK and a resident in London since 2007, says: “Many of us have been living abroad for years, even decades, but we care deeply about what's at stake back home and we also want it to be a place that we still recognise when we return, whether that's a country where democracy has been preserved or even one that is still safe when it comes to the rights of women, our sisters and our daughters.”