435 House Seats and 35 Senate Races Defined by Tuesday's Vote
With 60 million ballots already cast, federal monitors deploy nationwide as voters decide which party holds the legislative majority.
By Natalie Castro ·
Americans cast ballots on Tuesday for every seat in the U.S. House and one third of the Senate. The outcome determines which party controls Congress and influences President Donald Trump’s legislative power for the next two years.
The election covers all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats, alongside hundreds of local contests. Prior to Tuesday, nearly 60 million Americans submitted their votes through early in-person voting or mail. This figure represents a portion of the roughly 250 million eligible voters identified by the Pew Research Center.
Early voting totals do not automatically indicate a party’s momentum. Even in states that record party registration, those affiliations do not always reflect the specific candidates voters supported. The final count will rely on ballots cast on Election Day and outstanding mail-in votes.
The Justice Department is deploying approximately 1,000 election monitors and observers across all 50 states. This is the first time the department has conducted a monitoring effort that reaches every state. Their duties include verifying compliance with federal voting rights laws. They also check for protections against voter intimidation and requirements for voter accessibility.
Results may remain unsettled beyond election night. Close contests and the time required to count outstanding ballots could delay the determination of congressional control. The process continues as polls close across the nation.
Source: WXIX-TV
