They were there right on time at P.J O'Reilly's pub in Civic as the polls closed back where once was home.
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Americans who had become Australians sat and watched as the hints and early signs came in on the big screen playing CNN's live coverage.
Democrats Abroad had taken over the pub. Republicans Overseas had not organised an event.
Mostly, at the Democratic event, they sat in silence and gazed as the intricacies of the voting in particular as parts of Florida emerged.
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There was a moment of silence and then a babble of analysis.
When the venerable presenter Wolf Blitzer pointed to an indicator of a Democratic victory in part of Florida, voices said: "That's Dade County. It doesn't mean anything".
Dade County encompasses Miami and the Democratic vote is strong there anyway. Joe Biden winning in Dade County doesn't put him in the White House.
"We'll take the votes wherever we get them, baby", the voice from the instant analysts said.
Everybody in the bar agreed with a unanimity uncharacteristic of the current United States that this was the biggest election they had witnessed.
Carol Croce came to Canberra 29 years ago when her partner got a job at the ANU.
"We loved it so much that we stayed," she said.
"This is a really critical turning-point in American history. Never have we seen such a critical time in American democracy.
"If Trump wins, I will feel devastated."
Patricia Finkel sitting beside her finished the thought: "Democracy will be dead."
The two ladies have become friends as ex-pat Americans who have embraced Australia but who meet at US election time.
Ms Finkel said that one of the things she liked about Australia was the unity. She felt that both sides of the mainstream political divide thought about "the greater good".
She came to Canberra after the bushfires in 2003 and has stayed.
"I had a Canberra Hospital baby and there's no going back," she said.
Fred who was loathe to give his last name and who said he was too ashamed to say which part of the Republican-voting Rust Belt he had come from in the '70s was glued to the big screen.
"The mad man Trump cannot continue," he said. "You have got to have civility back in society. He continues to divide society."
If Mr Trump wins? Fred said he would know that he made the right decision a half century ago to live in Australia.
Patricia Finkel and Carol Croce are worried about violence after the election. Ms Croce thinks there will be an "inevitable violent conflict".
"Even if Biden wins, the divisiveness is so strong people are already talking about safety plans."
Steve Evans
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
