On a November evening that the country had long anticipated, polling stations in Indiana and Kentucky closed first, and the rest of the nation kept voting into the night. In this midterm, a public weary of rising prices and unsettled by the direction of the country is weighing whether to hand Congress to a different party than the one that holds the presidency. Much of the story turns on a few close Senate contests and a handful of House districts, and on whether the machinery of counting can deliver answers the public will trust. Whatever the outcome, it is a moment in which a democracy tests
US Midterms Live: Polls Begin Closing as Voters Weigh In on Trump's Second Term
The gap between voting and results can leave room for doubt.
Mark
Polls just started closing. What are we actually looking at tonight?
Mimi
A test of Trump's second term. Democrats are favored to take the House, and the Senate hinges on about ten tight races, mostly in Republican strongholds.
Mark
And voters seem unhappy?
Mimi
The AP Voter Poll says about three-quarters are angry or dissatisfied, and about 6 in 10 disapprove of Trump. Economy came first as an issue, democracy second.
Luke
Careful with the cost-of-living line, though. The 6 in 10 who blame his policies is what voters said, not a measure of what actually drove prices.
Mark
Fair. What about the early Indiana and Kentucky results?
Mimi
The AP won't call statewide races there until 7 p.m. Eastern. Two House races, Indiana's 5th and Kentucky's 6th, are the close ones in this first hour.
Luke
And one or two districts won't tell you much about national control. Early calls are a signal, not an answer.
Mark
Then there's the machine problem in Westchester.
Mimi
Machines weren't accepting ballots because of a technical fault. The reporting notes who owns the vendor, but doesn't say the ownership caused anything.
Luke
Right, the fault is confirmed; the cause isn't. Same with the RNC's "boots on the ground" claim. That's a stated intention, not evidence of fraud.
Mark
So how long until we know?
Mimi
Could be hours, days, even weeks in close races. That delay is where doubt can creep in.
The Pulse
- Polls close in Indiana and Kentucky as the first ballots of a nationally watched midterm are sealed and the wait for results begins.
- Roughly three-quarters of voters say they are angry or dissatisfied, and most link high prices to presidential policy, sharpening the stakes.
- Democrats are favored to take the House, while roughly ten tight Senate races in Republican strongholds could decide control of both chambers.
- A voting machine fault in Westchester County and a warning from California's governor about possible immigration enforcement at polls have sparked fresh anxiety.
- Full results may take hours or days, and officials are bracing for false claims of a stolen election to fill the gap before counts are complete.
On a November evening that the country had long anticipated, polling stations in Indiana and Kentucky closed first, and the rest of the nation kept voting into the night. In this midterm, a public weary of rising prices and unsettled by the direction of the country is weighing whether to hand Congress to a different party than the one that holds the presidency. Much of the story turns on a few close Senate contests and a handful of House districts, and on whether the machinery of counting can deliver answers the public will trust. Whatever the outcome, it is a moment in which a democracy tests not only its choices but its confidence in how those choices are made.
At 6 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, November 3, the polls closed in most of Indiana and Kentucky, the first of the night. Across the rest of the country, voting continued for hours more, in a midterm that could reshape Congress and serve as a verdict on President Donald Trump's second term.
Polls favor Democrats to win the House. The Senate is far less certain, with about ten closely contested statewide races, mostly in Republican territory, holding the key to control of both chambers. The Associated Press will not call a statewide result in Indiana or Kentucky until 7 p.m. Eastern, though some eastern districts may be decided sooner, including Indiana's 5th and Kentucky's 6th.
The stakes are broad: all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, 36 governorships, and many local posts. Yet counting rules differ by state, and close races may take days or weeks. That uncertainty worries observers, who fear partisan groups could exploit delay to spread claims of a stolen election, a concern sharpened by Trump's rejection of his 2020 defeat and his unsuccessful attempts to take federal control of elections.
The day brought friction. Voting machines in Westchester County, New York, stopped accepting ballots because of a technical fault. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom vowed prosecution if immigration authorities tried to track down people they believed had voted illegally. Meanwhile, NASA astronaut Anil Menon cast his ballot from space.
A broad AP Voter Poll reveals a restless electorate. Roughly three-quarters feel angry or dissatisfied, about six in ten disapprove of Trump's handling of the presidency, and a similar share blame his policies for high prices. Around seventy percent want Congress to check the presidency more, and democracy ranks alongside the economy as a central concern.
The candidate field is among the most diverse in recent years, with the possibility of several historic firsts. As the night unfolds, attention will rest on the early House races, the pace of Senate clarity, and whether the Westchester fault and the immigration dispute grow into larger conflicts.
At 6 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, November 3, polling places in most of Indiana and Kentucky closed their doors, the first of the night. Across the rest of the country, voting was still underway, and would be for hours. The midterm elections could take control of Congress away from President Donald Trump's Republicans.
Opinion polls favor Democrats to capture the House. The Senate is less settled: roughly ten closely contested statewide races, most of them in Republican strongholds, will determine whether Democrats can win both chambers. Another half-dozen states were set to close their polls at 7 p.m. Eastern.
The Associated Press said it would not declare a statewide winner in Indiana or Kentucky until the last polls in each state close at 7 p.m. Eastern. Winners could be called earlier in the easternmost congressional districts. Two close House races fall in this first window: Indiana's 5th district and Kentucky's 6th.
The stakes are wide. All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are on the ballot, along with governorships in 36 states and many state and local posts, including councils and school boards. When results arrive is hard to say. Elections are run locally and the rules differ by state. A one-sided race can be clear almost at once; a close one can take hours, days or even weeks.
That gap worries some observers. The Guardian reported that partisan groups may use the delay to spread false claims of a stolen election. Trump has rejected the result of his 2020 loss, and of other elections he did not like. He has tried to take federal control of elections, but the courts have blocked him. Election officials are on guard for interference in voting and counting this year.
Some problems surfaced on the day itself. Voting machines at polling sites in Westchester County, New York, were not accepting ballots because of a technical fault. The county's system is run by Liberty Vote, formerly Dominion Voting Systems, which a former Republican elections official bought last year. The Republican National Committee said it has "boots on the ground" across the country to stop election fraud. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom said the state would bring charges if US Immigration and Customs Enforcement tried to "track down" people it believes voted "illegally" at the polls. And NASA astronaut Anil Menon voted from space, filling in an electronic ballot on his computer for Harris County, Texas.
The AP Voter Poll, a broad survey of the electorate, points to a restless public. Roughly three-quarters of voters said they feel angry or dissatisfied with how things are going in the country. About 6 in 10 disapprove of how Trump is handling the presidency, and about 6 in 10 say higher-than-usual prices are more because of his policies than because of factors outside his control. About 70% want Congress to provide more checks and balances on the presidency. Some 4 in 10 named the economy as the most important issue, and 3 in 10 named democracy, well ahead of crime, health care and immigration.
The slate of candidates is also among the most diverse in recent years, setting up possible historic firsts: the first Native American female governor and Native American female senators, the first Black female governor, the first openly gay male US senator and the first Muslim US senator.
What to watch next: the Indiana and Kentucky House races as the first results come in, how quickly the Senate picture clarifies, and whether the Westchester fault and the ICE dispute grow into larger fights as counting continues.
Notable Quotes
California will bring charges if ICE tries to "track down" people it believes voted "illegally" at the polls.— Gavin Newsom, California Governor
The RNC says it has "boots on the ground" across the country to stop election fraud.— Republican National Committee
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