We've mere hours to go before one of the most historically important decisions of the last Century will be made and ratified in the United States.

By 1am GMT on Thursday, November 9, the polling booths will begin to close and the votes counted, with the earliest time for the election results to be 'called' being 4am GMT. So, by tomorrow morning, we will be waking up to a new world.

More than 120 million Americans are expected to cast their votes, with many standing for hours on end in the cold for the chance to do so.

As it stands, Trump and Clinton are fairly neck-and-neck in the early polls, which in itself is worrying, for as we've investigated time and time again, there are about a thousand reasons as to why it should have been a no-contest fight.

Don't believe us, take a look at some of these:

What is even worse than the fact that Donald has managed to curry enough favour to stake a 'legitimate' claim to the Presidency, is that some of his more radical supporters feel, in some way, like they've already been victorious.

According to the New York Times, Jim Gilchrist - founder of the Minuteman Project, a vigilante group so against Mexican immigration that they are said to have sent armed patrolmen to police the American borders - feels that Trump has legitimated his group's stance.

Jim Gilchrist - Trump has validated his Minuteman Project's agendapinterest
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Jim Gilchrist in action

Owing to the fact that Trump has been vehement in his campaign against 'migrants,' putting it top of the political agenda, Gilchrist has said, 'For me personally, my mission has been accomplished.'

Further to this, the NY Times gives voice to Matthew M. Heimbach, a co-founder of the Traditionalist Youth Network, which is a white nationalist group.

Heimbach has stated:

'Trump has shown that our message is healthy, normal and organic — and millions of Americans agree with us.'

This is an incredibly sad indictment of a time of fear-mongering and terror focused leadership.

A long era, globally, of political bungling in the face of unrest - which has created this terrifying 'other', as a convenient scapegoat for covering up bureaucratic mistakes - has laden people with an intense suspicion and mistrust of every person unlike themselves.

Matthew M. Heimbach of the Traditionalist Worker's partypinterest
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Matthew M. Heimbach of the Traditionalist Worker\'s party

That Trump has a real shot at becoming president is a direct result of years of using hatred and prejudice as a political tool. And we are all to blame.

That groups of the extreme right feel like they have already won some sort of victory means we've ventured into territory it will be very hard to turn back from.

It is everyone's responsibility to make sure we do.

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Natasha Bird
Former Digital Executive Editor

Natasha Bird is the Former Executive Editor (Digital) of ELLE.