Tl;DR This election is an existential one to me. As a 21-year-old, I want to feel optimistic that this country's future for my generation, but this election makes it difficult, despite the clear choice.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous and angry about the election. Before I get into that, I'll break down what I'm a little bit optimistic about. I want to hope desperately we can finally get on track to being a country that lives up to its stated principles and can take substantive measures to overcome the wounds and bigotry of its past. Instead, I find an election where I have to decide between an administration that will rip open flesh wounds and allow the maggots of bigotry to feast gleefully, or an administration that might prove feeble in closing the wound altogether.Biden was far from my first choice during the Democratic primaries, but I voted for him without hesitation and with the utmost enthusiasm (primarily to remove Trump from office). I have no illusions about the extent of the reforms he will pass when in office, but I appreciate he's reached out to the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party and not been ostracizing *as a presidential candidate* towards that wing of the party. It shows a willingness to adapt, even for reasons of political pragmatism, and be associated with bolder, better policies across many issues e.g. healthcare. If he wins, that's the part I'll be relieved about. Truthfully, that's what I'll be feeling if most candidates win from now on; relief. Political candidates should rarely, if ever, be treated with the enthusiasm and following of rock stars, so my expectations are low in that regard.
Now, what I'm worried about in each outcome:
Biden Re-elected
Now, for what I'm nervous about. If, in the best case scenario I hope for, Biden is projected to win (projected, not even talking official, finalized results yet), Trump will immediately cast doubt on the veracity of the votes and undermine the process in a way that makes Bush v. Gore seem like a chivalrous debate. He and his party/enablers have repeatedly attacked the election process, closing polling stations, restricting access to mail-in ballots during a pandemic, etc. Considering he's indicated several times he might not accept the results of the election if they don't go his way, that frightens me a bit. The results could range from a confidence-denting constitutional crisis to his armed supporters taking the streets. I hope I'm dead wrong.
Trump Re-elected
This, to me, is worse than the negative consequences of the short-term scenario of violence if Biden wins. This administration has already set back any minuscule progress made on various issues by 10 years and will set it back even more if re-elected. We will already rue the long-term consequences of conservative justices confirmed at a record rate across all levels of the judiciary; imagine if he's re-elected. This administration has emboldened white supremacists and far-right views to enter into the mainstream. This administration has attacked immigration and immigrants (and spare me the BS about "Oh, it's just legal immigration we're worried about."), from inhumane separation practices towards those seeking asylum to restricting legal immigration. It's personal for me as the son of two immigrants who fled an oppressive government. It's gonna lead to even more polarization and extremism in a country where advocating for basic human necessities as a guarantee is already considering an extremism. That's just the tip of the iceberg for me, but yeah. That's about it.