Canadians from coast to coast gathered Tuesday with a mix of excitement and anxiety to watch one of the world’s biggest political broadcasts: the results of the U.S. election.

Community centers, theaters, bars, restaurants and homes across Canada turned their televisions to U.S. networks Tuesday as vote counting approached.

All eyes were on a television on stage at the Lithuanian House community center in Toronto, where more than 100 people gathered for an event hosted by Democrats Abroad. With the latest opinion polls suggesting a tight race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, attendees said they came to cheer for Harris even as some considered the odds the race would be called that evening were thin.

John Roberts, an American who has lived in Canada for nearly two decades, said he felt “nauseating” about a Democratic victory.

“What brought me here tonight is really an opportunity to show my support for Kamala Harris tonight and the rest of the Democratic ticket,” said Roberts, who voted in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.

“This is a crucial election for us, for the future, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

Kate Cohen, a Michigan voter who has lived in Canada for 26 years, said she hoped to “celebrate or commiserate” with like-minded people.

Cohen said she has voted in every election since arriving in Canada.

“It’s a right and a privilege, and I don’t think anyone should throw it away or treat it lightly,” she said.

At a pub on the Saint Mary’s University campus in Halifax, the queue for drinks grew longer as the evening wore on and the results began to come in. Cheers erupted from one booth when Trump was declared the winner in Kentucky, and more cheers followed from other tables. since Bernie Sanders was declared re-elected during his Senate run as an independent in Vermont.

At McLean’s Public House in downtown Montreal, televisions alternated between sports channels and CNN as hockey fans wearing Canadiens jerseys mingled with political observers. A staffer on the microphone, warming up the crowd for trivia, drew loud cheers when he asked how many people supported Harris. The same question, regarding Trump, provoked silence and scattered laughter.

Bar patron Ian Campbell said he felt “extremely worried” about the prospect of a Trump victory.

“Trump can cause serious damage, not only to the United States, but also to the whole world,” he said, raising the possibility that Trump would withdraw from NATO and withdraw support for Ukraine.

He said he was disappointed by the two presidential candidates on certain points, notably on what he considers a failure in aid to the Palestinians in Gaza.

“I think Harris is just a safer option and I sincerely hope she wins,” he said.

In Ottawa, American Ambassador David Cohen joined politicians and diplomats at the Brasserie Métropolitaine, just steps from Parliament Hill, where he delivered a brief speech.

The Canadian International Council is hosting parties for its members in Ottawa and Victoria, with the British Columbia event including a U.S. election trivia game.

In Windsor, Ontario, people gathered at the Bourbon Tap and Grill on Ottawa Street – many participating in a door-to-door campaign to urge Americans living in the city to vote.

About 600,000 people eligible to vote in U.S. elections live in Canada, the largest number outside the United States, according to the Federal Voter Assistance Program.

One of them is Beth Boyd, who attended a Democrats Abroad watch party at the Pleasant in Vancouver. Boyd, who has lived in Canada for about 15 years, said she mailed in her ballot “about two months ago.”

“I’m from Michigan, so it’s very important, I think,” she said of the vote. “No matter what, it’s important, but especially in Michigan because it’s a swing state — or it was last time.”

Boyd said she was hopeful for a Democratic victory, adding that she had not attended a Democratic watch party abroad since Donald Trump’s 2016 victory.

“I want a do-over to make things right this time,” she said.