The first polling stations opened in Vermont early on Tuesday as Americans began voting in midterm elections that will test President Donald Trump’s hold on Congress and shape the final two years of his term. Voting later began in New Jersey, Virginia, Connecticut and parts of Kentucky and Indiana.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are on the ballot, along with 35 of the Senate’s 100 seats. Voters in 36 states will also choose governors. If Democrats win control of either chamber, they could block or slow much of Trump’s agenda.
The contest comes amid public frustration over the economy and the war in the Middle East, issues that have dominated the campaign. Both parties are watching to see whether voters reward the president’s allies or deliver a rebuke to his party.
The Justice Department said it would deploy a record 1,000 election monitors across all 50 states to reassure voters about the integrity of the process. Officials urged patience: early results are expected after polls close at 23:00 GMT, but close races and mail-in ballots could delay final outcomes for days.
About 58 million of the country’s 210 million registered voters had already cast ballots before Election Day through early in-person voting or mail. The high early turnout reflects intense political engagement and the growing importance of voting methods beyond a single day.
For Trump, the election is more than a routine mid-term test. It is a referendum on his leadership at a time when his party’s narrow majorities are at stake. For Democrats, it is a chance to regain momentum and prove that opposition to the president can translate into votes.
As polling places opened, the mood was one of anticipation. Volunteers handed out leaflets, workers checked machines, and voters lined up before dawn. By night’s end, America will know whether it has chosen continuity or change and whether Trump’s grip on power will tighten or loosen.
