US Midterm Elections: Control of Congress at Stake as Americans Vote

Americans are voting in high-stakes midterm elections 2026 that will determine control of Congress for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term. More than 57 million people had cast ballots early, while key House and Senate races could shape the political outlook for 2027. Polling stations opened across the United States on Tuesday as voters headed to the polls for the 2026 midterm elections, a contest widely viewed as a referendum on President Donald Trump ’s first two years back in office. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are up for election. Voters in 36 states are also choosing governors. Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress, and Democrats are hoping to win enough seats to limit Trump’s ability to advance his agenda during the final two years of his term. More than 57 million Americans had already voted early by Monday afternoon, according to the University of Florida Election Lab, ABC News reported. The total was approaching the 58 million early votes recorded in the 2022 midterms. Pre-election analysts favour Democrats to win control of the House, while the Senate contest remains uncertain, Reuters reported. Democrats need to gain at least three House seats and four Senate seats to take control of both chambers. A Democratic majority in either chamber could complicate Trump’s legislative agenda, trigger investigations into his administration and give the party greater leverage over federal spending and appointments. The Senate battle is expected to hinge on a handful of closely contested races, including Michigan, Maine, Ohio, Texas, Kansas and Alaska. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers after Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who El-Sayed defeated in the primary, endorsed Rogers. Also Read | US midterms: How a Congress flip in the election could affect India, H-1B visas and trade The election is unfolding amid voter concerns over affordability, the economy and the administration’s policies, including tariffs and the war with Iran. Reuters reported that these issues have put Republicans on the defensive, despite Trump’s campaign rallies and efforts to energise his supporters. Trump has urged voters to treat the election as a test of his presidency, while Republicans are seeking to preserve their congressional majorities and avoid a period of legislative gridlock. The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Trump administration’s request to stop California from counting more than 20,000 disputed mail-in ballots. The decision followed a federal judge’s order directing the administration to stop demanding that officials set aside the ballots. Heavy rain and flash flooding across parts of the Southwest were expected to affect access to polling places in sections of Colorado, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. Election administrators in the Navajo Nation announced changes to some polling locations, while voters in rural San Juan County, Utah, were allowed to vote electronically because some may have difficulty reaching polling stations, ABC News reported. Election officials and voting-rights advocates have also urged voters submitting late absentee ballots to use drop boxes or deliver them in person, amid concerns that postal delays could affect postmarks and ballot eligibility. The first results are expected after polling stations begin closing on Tuesday evening in parts of Indiana and Kentucky. Vote counts will continue through the night, but close races could take days to call, particularly in states with large numbers of mail-in ballots or ranked-choice voting. The outcome could determine whether Trump enters the final two years of his presidency with unified Republican control of Washington or faces a Democratic-controlled Congress capable of blocking legislation and intensifying oversight of his administration. (With inputs from agencies)