Steve Peoples: US election exposes America's 'perilous' divisions

Voters from both parties turned out in droves to pick the next president but found little agreement about what that president should do

A demonstrator tosses confetti outside the Pennsylvania Convention Center where votes were being counted following Tuesday's election. File picture: Rebecca Blackwell

US presidential elections can be revealing moments that convey the wishes of the American people to the next wave of elected officials. 

So far, the big reveal in the contest between Donald Trump and Joe Biden is the extent of the cavernous divide between Republican and Democratic America, one that defines the nation, no matter which candidate ultimately wins.