PoliticsDonald TrumpU.S. News2016 election

Here's How People Say Their Lives Have Changed (Or Not) Since The 2016 Election

Listen to Americans tell their own stories.
Marc Janks
By 

Multimedia Director, HuffPost

Getty Images

A year after the 2016 presidential election, the political divide between Republicans and Democrats is wider than it has been at any point in at least 23 years, according to an October report from Pew Research Center. Democrats around the country saw the “blue wave” in the November 2017 elections as evidence that the movement against President Donald Trump is building, and they have been feverishly working at the grassroots level to mobilize the party’s base.

But how is this division affecting individual Americans? To find out, we asked people to leave us a voicemail message with their answer to one simple question: How has your life changed or not since Nov. 8, 2016? While some of the answers may sound familiar, others may surprise you.

Below is a selection of some of the dozens of voicemails we’ve received. If you would like to leave a message of your own, please call (347) 829-4590. Messages have been edited for clarity.

Zenia L., Florida
After the election, Zenia moved to a new neighborhood because she felt like a target. She did not provide her last name.
Jeannine Lee Lake, Indiana
Jeannine is running for Mike Pence's old congressional seat.
Donna Helms, North Carolina
Donna's felt safer since Donald Trump's victory.
Richard Laya, Illinois
Richard has become more politically attuned, but also disturbed by the state of affairs in the country.
Cici Sayer, California
Cici says the changes in her life have nothing to do with the election of 2016.
Jessica, Pennsylvania
Jessica, a queer woman from Pennsylvania, has become motivated to stand up for marginalized people. She did not provide her last name.
Brian, Maryland
Brian says his friendships were affected by the 2016 election. He did not provide his last name.
Chelsea Knowles, Michigan
Chelsea has changed her news consumption habits to stay positive.
Barbara Rigney, Michigan
Barbara, a psychologist, says her patients regularly discuss the election and politics in therapy.

Audio by Nicholas Offenberg/HuffPost
Visuals by Ji Sub Jeong/HuffPost

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