US midterm elections: First polling stations open, when will results be known

Voting begins on the mainland

On 3 November, Tuesday, the US midterm elections began, which will determine the new composition of Congress. The Democratic Party aims to regain control over both chambers of Congress, while the voting results will directly affect President Donald Trump's ability to implement his political course.

The first polling stations on the mainland opened in the state of Vermont at 12:00 Kyiv time. At 13:00, voting started in Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. Another 30 minutes later, at 13:30, doors opened in Ohio, North Carolina, and South Carolina. In other states, the voting process begins according to the local schedule.

Scale of early voting

A significant portion of voters have already made their choice in advance. According to the University of Florida, as of 1 November, 54.5 million early votes had been cast in the US. This figure is almost 10 million higher than the total number of such votes in the 2022 midterm elections.

According to estimates by the Pew Research Center, approximately 250 million Americans are eligible to vote this year.

Timeframes for the end of voting

The first information about the results will appear after the polling stations close. Voting will end earliest in the eastern parts of Indiana and Kentucky – at 01:00 on 4 November Kyiv time. At 02:00, polling stations will close in Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia.

The state of Alaska will finish voting last – at 08:00 Kyiv time. Thus, on 4 November, it will be possible to observe the first trends and results of individual electoral races. However, in states where the contest is tight, vote counting may take several days or even weeks. There is no single date for announcing the final results. The new composition of the US Congress will begin its work on 3 January 2027.

What Americans are electing

Midterm elections are held two years after presidential elections and determine the strength of the president's party's position in Congress for the next two years. During these elections, Americans elect not only members of Congress but also a number of officials at the state level. Specifically, voting concerns:

• all 435 members of the House of Representatives (the lower chamber of Congress);
• 35 out of 100 senators (approximately one-third of the Senate composition);
• 39 governors in 36 states and three territories;
• attorneys general, judges, and representatives of state legislative bodies.

Potential consequences for the Trump administration

Following the 2024 elections, Republicans controlled both chambers of Congress with a slim majority. Before the current vote, they held 53 seats in the Senate (out of 100) and 218 seats in the House of Representatives (out of 435).

To gain a majority, Democrats need to win at least four additional seats in each chamber. If Democrats seize control of at least one chamber, it will become more difficult for President Trump to advance legislative initiatives. In the event of gaining a majority in both chambers, the president's ability to negotiate with Congress may be significantly narrowed.