Located on the U.S. border, Sault Ste. Marie watches closely as America votes

Sault keeps close eye on U.S. election As Americans decide the future of their country Tuesday, the presidential election is a major event for border cities like Sault Ste. Marie.

As Americans decide the future of their country Tuesday, the presidential election is a major event for Canadians, too.

That's especially the case for border cities like Sault Ste. Marie, where residents are especially tuned in.

Mayor Matthew Shoemaker said there will be a significant impact on the Canadian Sault regardless of who the next president is.

The steel town relies heavily on cross-border trade. In 2017, tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum led to letter-writing campaigns from the city on behalf of Algoma Steel.

Shoemaker speaks regularly with the mayor of Sault, Mich., and said they will advocate on behalf of the best interests of their Canadian counterparts.

"Both sides of the aisle in the U.S. are advocating for some version of Buy American or some version of tariffs on international goods," he said.

"There is a concern on our part, but we trust that the relationships we've developed over many years, through Algoma, with their purchasers, through the city, with our counterparts on the American side, will help us overcome any challenges that we do face."

Our national CTV News website has special coverage of the election that will continue well into Tuesday night.