The American people started voting in the midterm elections held to determine control of the Congress, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, in the second half of President Donald Trump's term.
While the first polls opened at 05:00 local time in the state of Vermont, voting started at 06:00 local time in many states, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Virginia.
Voters continue to cast their votes.
CRITICAL RACE FOR CONTROL OF CONGRESS
In the elections, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the US Congress, and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate, the upper house, will be redetermined. While Republicans are trying to maintain their majorities in both houses of Congress, Democrats are aiming to take control. 218 seats are required for a majority in the House of Representatives.
According to the current seat distribution, Democrats need to win at least 3 seats to win the majority. In the Senate, where Republicans hold the majority with 53 seats, Democrats need to win 4 seats to gain control.
MORE THAN 57 MILLION VOTERS VOTED EARLY
There was intense participation in the early voting process before election day. According to data from the University of Florida Election Lab, more than 57 million Americans across the country have already cast their votes.
The high participation in the early voting process revealed the intense interest in the elections. Particularly competitive races in states such as Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Maine and Texas are expected to determine the balance of power in Congress.
ELECTION RESULTS WILL AFFECT TRUMP'S POLITICAL FUTURE
The midterm elections are seen as one of the most critical political tests of Trump's second presidential term. The cost of living in the country, inflation, immigration policies, relations with Israel and the Iran war are among the main issues on the voters' agenda. While pre-election polls and political evaluations indicate that Democrats are likely to win the majority in the House of Representatives, a more competitive race is predicted in the Senate.
In his statements before the election, Trump stated that he believed that Republicans would maintain their majority in both houses of Congress. If Democrats gain a majority in one or both houses of Congress, the Trump administration is expected to face stronger opposition on issues such as legislation, budget regulations and political appointments. It is considered that if the Democrats win the House of Representatives, congressional investigations into the Trump administration may increase.
GOVERNORAL ELECTIONS ARE ALSO HELD IN 36 STATES
In addition to congressional elections, governorship elections are also held in 36 states. Voters also vote for state legislatures, local governments, and various referendums. The results of the governorship races are important for the future of the states' immigration, education, health and economic policies.
FIRST RESULTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE EVENING TIMES
Voting in the USA will end according to different time zones of the states. The first polls will close in parts of the states of Indiana and Kentucky at 18:00 US eastern time.
Voting in New York will continue until 21:00 local time. It is stated that it may take a few days for the final results to be determined due to the counting of postal votes, especially in contested electoral districts.
