Americans in London told to get their ballots home as midterms turn into a Trump verdict

Americans in London got a blunt Tuesday reminder: their vote still counts, and it needs to move fast. John Scardino of Democrats Abroad UK urged expats to get their ballots back to the US for midterm elections he framed as a referendum on Donald Trump. The November 3 races will decide control of Congress for the rest of Trump's time in the White House. Getting a ballot home is a state-by-state scramble, Scardino told the London Standard. Voting is run by all 50 states, and overseas citizens vote based on where they last lived in the US, so Oregon's system looks nothing like New York's or Florida's. Depending on the state, ballots can go back by email, fax, courier or another fast-track route. Some voters aren't leaving it to the postal service. Scardino said people he knows have paid for private couriers, Federal Express or DHL to make sure their ballot arrives. His advice for the stragglers: most places will still count a ballot as long as it's postmarked by election day. The stakes have drawn millions to the polls, with many ballots already cast in what has become the most expensive midterm cycle in US history. Democrats have been tipped to retake the House of Representatives, while the fight for the Senate remains on a knife edge. Trump has been rallying in traditional Republican strongholds to shore up turnout, and promised every adult US citizen $5,000 if his party holds both chambers. Democrats have had their own headaches, including internal divisions laid bare by a fallout in the Michigan Senate race, and Trump has worked to paint the party as hard-Left extremists. Winning one or both chambers would let Democrats block legislation and open investigations into the White House's conduct. Trump would still hold executive authority in key areas and the veto pen, which could stall their efforts on Capitol Hill. Asked about protecting people around him from potential criminal liability, Trump told a New York Post podcast he wouldn't hesitate: "I would if I needed to, sure." He pointed to the amnesties Joe Biden granted to family members, administration officials and politicians, including those who investigated the January 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021. Republicans Overseas UK have been contacted for comment.

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