South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Democrats taking control of the House and the Senate in the US midterms is going to “introduce a new era in world relations.”

Sara Jacobs wins reelection to US House in California's 51st Congressional District.

John Wahl wins election for lieutenant governor in Alabama.

Katy Padilla Stout wins election to US House in Texas' 23rd Congressional District.

Hillary Scholten wins reelection to US House in Michigan's 3rd Congressional District.

Mitchell Berman wins election to US House in Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District, while Rebecca Cooke wins in 3rd Congressional District.

• Randy Weber wins reelection to US House in Texas' 14th Congressional District
• Pat Fallon wins reelection to US House in Texas' 4th Congressional District
• Chris Gober wins election to US House in Texas' 10th Congressional District
• Jessica Hart Steinmann wins election to US House in Texas' 8th Congressional District

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed wins US Senate seat in Michigan over former Republican lawmaker Mike Rogers, becoming the first Muslim elected to the upper chamber of Congress.

"Michigan, we did it!" El-Sayed said in a speech at his election headquarters in Detroit. 

"I am so proud and honored to stand here as your senator-elect from the great state of Michigan."

El-Sayed won despite a last-minute hiccup in his campaign when congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost the Democratic primary to El-Sayed, came out in support of Rogers at the 11th hour.

Democrat JoCasta Zamarripa wins election for secretary of state in Wisconsin.

Bob Harvie wins election to US House in Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District.

Bobby Pulido wins election to US House in Texas' 15th Congressional District.

Republican Brad Little wins reelection for governor in Idaho.
 

Tom Sell wins election to US House in Texas' 19th Congressional District.
 

Democrat Ro Khanna wins reelection to US House in California's 17th Congressional District.

Derek Schmidt wins reelection to US House in Kansas' 2nd Congressional District.

Ben McAdams wins election to US House in Utah's 1st Congressional District.
 

Iran's chief negotiator in talks with the United States, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said that Americans voted "NO TO WAR" after Democrats routed Republicans in the midterm elections.

"Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message," Ghalibaf posted on X.

US President Donald Trump had rare praise for rival Democrats, saying they had done a "good job" after they routed his Republican Party in the midterm elections.

"I think the Democrats did a good job. I really do. I think they did a good job. They fought hard," Trump told Fox News, adding that there was a "mood in the air" and that "I shouldn't feel guilty."

(AFP)

US President Donald Trump told Fox News late Tuesday that the Iran war played a role in the stunning midterm election defeat for his Republican Party.

"I think a part of it was Iran, but at the same time, people understood the importance of what I've done with Iran," Trump said in a telephone interview with Fox.

(AFP) 

"I am absolutely willing to accept those results," he told The New York Times. "We'll work with the Democrats, and we'll, you know, look forward to working with them. We'll probably work something out."

The conciliatory remarks came after repeated attempts by Trump to cast doubt over the fairness of the elections, adding to fears that he would refuse to accept defeat.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will accept the results of the midterm elections where incoming figures indicate a Democratic wipe-out of his Republican Party in Congress.

(AFP)

Lindsay James wins election to US House in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District.

Ilhan Omar wins reelection to U.S. House in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District.

Zoe Lofgren wins reelection to US House in California's 18th Congressional District.

Fred Wellman wins election to US House in Missouri's 2nd Congressional District.

Denise Powell wins election to US House in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District.
 

Hilda Solis wins election to US House in California's 38th Congressional District.

Democrat Alexi Giannoulias wins reelection for secretary of state in Illinois.

Democrat Jared Huffman wins reelection to US House in California's 2nd Congressional District.

Democrat Elaine Luria wins election to US House in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District.

Republican Mike Mazzei wins election for governor in Oklahoma.

Republican Larry Rhoden wins reelection for governor in South Dakota.
 

Gina Hinojosa elected the first Democratic governor of Texas in more than 30 years, ousting Republican incumbent Greg Abbott and catapulting a decided underdog to national prominence leading what has long been the nation's most populous red state.

She will become Texas' first Latina governor - and the first Democrat to hold the office since Ann Richards in the 1990s.

Clay Higgins wins reelection to US House in Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District.

While Suzan DelBene won reelection to US House in Washington's 1st Congressional District, Rick Larsen won 2nd Congressional District.

Kim Schrier secured reelection to US House in Washington's 8th Congressional District.

Republican Chris McGowan wins election to US House in Iowa's 4th Congressional District.

• Jim Costa wins reelection to US House in California's 21st Congressional District
• Maxine Waters wins reelection to US House in California's 43rd Congressional District
• Norma Torres wins reelection to US House in California's 35th Congressional District

Democrat Hannah Pingree wins election for governor in Maine.
 

A judge has granted permission for elections officials in a major New York county to move thousands of paper ballots to a secure warehouse after a technical problem caused vote-scanning machines to malfunction.

The issue will delay the counting of votes in a competitive congressional district until at least Wednesday.

The New York Board of Elections said machines at locations throughout Westchester County would not accept paper ballots when polls opened Tuesday because of a programming glitch.

Elections officials said the problem happened when they made a software update for one municipal contest after the machines had been prepared and tested. Machines in the other municipalities continued to use the original software and therefore would not recognize the ballots.

Voters were instructed to put completed ballots in bags that would be safeguarded to be processed later. The bags were to be transported under police escort to a county warehouse to be scanned and counted under the supervision of representatives of political parties, election officials said.

The Westchester County Board of Elections said the ballot counting was to begin at 11 am Wednesday.

(AP)

Republican Bill Hagerty wins reelection to US Senate from Tennessee.

Democrat Fiona Ma wins election for lieutenant governor in California.
 

 Michelle Fischbach wins reelection to US House in Minnesota's 7th Congressional District.

Marlin Stutzman wins reelection to US House in Indiana's 3rd Congressional District.

Democrat Luke Bronin wins election to US House in Connecticut's 1st Congressional District.

Republican Marty Jackley wins election to US House in South Dakota's at-large Congressional District.

Mike Kelly wins reelection to US House in Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District.

Dale Strong wins reelection to US House in Alabama's 5th Congressional District.

Tony Wied wins reelection to US House in Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District.

Shomari Figures wins reelection to US House in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District.

Democrat Jeff Merkley wins reelection to US Senate from Oregon.

Democrat Xavier Becerra will take over from Gavin Newsom as the next governor of the nation's most populous state, California.

The victory by Becerra, a former state attorney general and Biden administration official, ensures California and the White House will remain adversaries for the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term. Becerra repeatedly tied his opponent, Republican Steve Hilton, to the president and promised to defend California against Trump's policies on everything from immigration to voting rights.

Becerra will be California's first Latino governor since the late 19th century.

Adam Hamilton, the pastor of a Methodist megachurch who was registered as a Republican until recently, had considered running as an independent before entering the race as a Democrat.

He campaigned as a moderate, kept his distance from national party leaders and pledged not to back Chuck Schumer as Senate majority leader. He also criticized how former president Joe Biden's administration handled immigration.

Hamilton largely aimed his attacks at Marshall and congressional Republicans rather than the president.

"I'm not running against President Trump," he said at their final debate.

Democrat Adam Hamilton won a US Senate seat in Kansas on Tuesday, according to US media projections, unseating Republican incumbent Roger Marshall and becoming the first Democrat to win a Senate race in the largely rural, conservative state since 1932.

The result is a blow to President Donald Trump, who carried Kansas by more than 10 points in each of his three presidential campaigns and traveled there last week, his first visit to the state since 2018, to rally support for Marshall.

Trump has promised he would use his veto power to block Democrats' agenda, forecasting the potential for gridlock in Washington.

Iowa voters chose Democrat Rob Sand to be their next governor, flipping the seat Republicans have held for more than two decades and likely ushering in a new era of divided state government.

Sand defeated Zach Lahn, a first-time candidate who surprised even members of his own party when he won the Republican primary. Sand, who is currently state auditor, has been the only Democrat serving in statewide elected office.

Don Leonard wins election to US House in Ohio's 15th Congressional District.

Vicente Gonzalez wins reelection to US House in Texas' 34th Congressional District.
 

Democrat James Talarico flipped a US Senate seat in Texas defeating Republican Ken Paxton to pull off the first statewide victory in more than 30 years.

The 37-year-old state legislator, former middle school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian will become Texas' first Democratic senator since 1993, laying bare how voter frustration midway through Trump's second term imperiled Republicans deep inside typically safe turf. The victory is a rejection of Trump's pick for the seat and threatens Republicans' control of the Senate, where Democrats needed to gain four seats to retake the majority.

Former Senator Sherrod Brown defeated Republican Senator Jon Husted in Ohio, flipping a seat that was crucial to Democrats' strategy to retake the chamber and providing a ray of hope for the party's longer-term prospects in a former swing state that had turned sharply to the right over the last decade.

Brown's victory caps a remarkable turnaround for the longtime Democrat. He lost his Senate seat just two years ago, defeated by newcomer Bernie Moreno, only to jump back into the political fray for a successful comeback. The campaign featured a rush of more than $500 million in spending from both sides and their allies.

Nicholas Langworthy wins reelection to US House in New York's 23rd Congressional District.

Mike Johnson wins reelection to US House in Louisiana's 4th Congressional District.

Republican Diana Harshbarger wins reelection to US House in Tennessee's 1st Congressional District.

Bob Brooks wins election to US House in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District.
 

Republican John Cowan wins election to US House in Georgia's 11th Congressional District.

Democrat Brittany Pettersen wins reelection to US House in Colorado's 7th Congressional District.

• Trent Kelly wins US House in Mississippi's 1st Congressional District
• Michael Guest wins US House in Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District

Republican Darin LaHood wins reelection to US House in Illinois' 16th Congressional District.

Republican William Timmons wins reelection to US House in South Carolina's 4th Congressional District.

Democrat Delia Ramirez wins reelection to US House in Illinois' 3rd Congressional District.

Republican Nathaniel Moran wins reelection to US House in Texas' 1st Congressional District.

Democrat Amanda Gonzalez wins election for secretary of state in Colorado.

Democrat Troy Carter wins reelection to US House in Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District.

Mark Alford wins reelection to US House in Missouri's 4th Congressional District.

Mary Miller wins reelection to US House in Illinois' 15th Congressional District.

Republican Scott Franklin wins reelection to US House in Florida's 18th Congressional District.

Republican Jason Smith wins reelection to US House in Missouri's 8th Congressional District.

US President Donald Trump, faced with sweeping Democratic victories in midterm elections, said his Republican Party would have won in a "landslide" if he had been running.

"I wasn't on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

Janeese Lewis George will be the new mayor of Washington, DC. She practically ran unopposed in Tuesday's general election after winning the Democratic primary earlier this year.

Winning was easy as Lewis George, 38, breezed past an independent, a Statehood Green Party candidate and 11 write-ins lacking political clout. Now she faces her first potential heavyweight hurdles, including President Donald Trump himself, who has inserted himself in local affairs and denounced the incoming mayor as a threat to the capital city.

Democrats picked up a seat in the US Senate on Tuesday when pediatrician Annie Andrews narrowly defeated Darline Graham, who was seeking to permanently fill her late brother Lindsey Graham's shoes, media projections showed.

Andrews stunned Darline Graham, who temporarily filled the seat after her brother's death in July but turned out not to be as strong a candidate as her party -- or President Donald Trump -- had hoped.

Democrat Glenn Ivey wins reelection to US House in Maryland's 4th Congressional District.

Republican Glenn Thompson wins reelection to US House in Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District.

Lizzie Pannill Fletcher wins reelection to US House in Texas' 7th Congressional District.

Republican Christopher Smith wins reelection to US House in New Jersey's 4th Congressional District.

US Representative Chris Pappas defeated former US Senator John E Sununu in New Hampshire, keeping a critical open US Senate seat under Democratic control.

The race to fill the seat being vacated by three-term Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen was one of a handful that could determine the balance of power in the Senate. Republicans were hoping to regain a foothold in the region while Democrats didn't want to lose ground as they try to retake control of the chamber.

Pappas told supporters his win was a "victory for Team New Hampshire over the broken status quo."

• Grace Meng wins US House in New York's 6th Congressional District
• Pat Ryan wins US House in New York's 18th Congressional District

Melat Kiros wins election to US House in Colorado's 1st Congressional District.

Riley Moore wins reelection to US House in West Virginia's 2nd Congressional District.

Republican Bruce Westerman wins reelection to US House in Arkansas' 4th Congressional District.

Democrat Chrissy Houlahan wins reelection to US House in Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District.

Democrat Ned Lamont wins reelection for governor in Connecticut.
 

Republican Mike Bost wins reelection to US House in Illinois' 12th Congressional District
 

Ben Cline wins reelection to US House in Virginia's 6th Congressional District.

David Taylor wins reelection to US House in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District.

• Gregory Meeks wins reelection to US House in New York's 5th Congressional District
• Avila Chevalier wins election to US House in New York's 13th Congressional District

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms has made history as the first Black woman to be elected governor of Georgia, defeating Republican businessman Rick Jackson on Tuesday and flipping the top job in a key swing state.

A former Atlanta mayor, Bottoms won Tuesday despite a staggering campaign spending deficit driven by the billionaire Jackson tapping more than $200 million of his own fortune. She becomes the first Democrat to prevail in a Georgia governor's race since 1998.

Democrat Chris Deluzio wins reelection to US House in Pennsylvania's 17th Congressional District.

Democrat Ben Lujan wins reelection to US Senate from New Mexico.

Republican Harriet Hageman Wins Election To US Senate from Wyoming.

• John Hickenlooper wins reelection to US Senate
• Phil Weiser wins election for governor

Democrat Kathy Hochul wins reelection for governor in New York.

Republican Eric Barlow wins election for governor in Wyoming.

Republican Jim Jordan wins reelection to US House in Ohio's 4th Congressional District.

Republican Representative Byron Donalds elected Florida's first Black governor, defeating Democratic nominee David Jolly. Donalds will succeed outgoing Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who used the office to fan presidential ambitions and steer President Donald Trump's adopted home state further to the right.

Republican Clay Fuller wins reelection to US House in Georgia's 14th Congressional District.

• Donna Miller wins election to US House in Illinois' 2nd Congressional District
• Jonathan Jackson wins reelection to US House in Illinois' 1st Congressional District
   

Democrat Joaquin Castro wins reelection to US House in Texas' 20th Congressional District.

Democrat Mary Scanlon wins reelection to US House in Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District.

Democrat Herb Conaway wins reelection to US House in New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District.

Republican Ashley Moody wins reelection to US Senate from Florida

Republican Sheri Biggs wins reelection to US House in South Carolina's 3rd Congressional District

Republican H Griffith wins reelection to US House in Virginia's 9th Congressional District.

Democrat Christian Menefee wins reelection to US House in Texas' 18th Congressional District
 

• Donald Norcross wins reelection to US House in New Jersey's 1st Congressional District
• LaMonica McIver wins reelection to US House in New Jersey's 10th Congressional District
   

Democrat Colin Allred wins election to US House in Texas' 33rd Congressional District.

Republican Andrew Clyde wins reelection to US House in Georgia's 9th Congressional District.

• Donald Beyer wins reelection to US House in Virginia's 8th Congressional District
• Robert Scott wins reelection to US House in Virginia's 3rd Congressional District
• Jennifer McClellan wins reelection to US House in Virginia's 4th Congressional District

• Mike Haridopolos wins reelection to US House in Florida's 8th Congressional District
• Joe Strada wins election to US House in Florida's 11th Congressional District
• Jared Moskowitz wins reelection to US House in Florida's 25th Congressional District
• Jimmy Patronis wins reelection to US House in Florida's 1st Congressional District

Democrat Josh Shapiro wins reelection for governor in Pennsylvania.

• John Reed wins reelection to US Senate from Rhode Island
• Wes Moore wins reelection for governor in Maryland
   

• Edward Markey wins reelection to US Senate from Massachusetts
• Maura Healey wins reelection for governor in Massachusetts

Democrat JB Pritzker wins reelection for governor in Illinois.
 

Democrat Juliana Stratton wins election to US Senate from Illinois.
 

Democrat Cory Booker wins reelection to US Senate from New Jersey.

Republican Randy Fine wins reelection to US House in Florida's 6th Congressional District.

Democrat JB Pritzker wins reelection for governor in Illinois.
 

Democrat Chris Coons wins reelection to US Senate from Delaware.

Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper wins in North Carolina, defeating Republican Michael Whatley, giving Democrats a key victory as they try to gain at least four seats now held by Republicans.

Democrat Sanford Bishop wins reelection to US House in Georgia's 2nd Congressional District.

Republican James Comer wins reelection to US House in Kentucky's 1st Congressional District.

Republican Carlos Gimenez wins reelection to US House in Florida's 28th Congressional District.

Democrat Shontel Brown wins reelection to US House in Ohio's 11th Congressional District.

Democrat Lucy McBath wins reelection to US House in Georgia's 6th Congressional District.

Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff has been reelected to a second term, defeating Republican Republican Mike Collins.

Ossoff, 39-year-old Jewish senator, began the cycle as a top Republican target and the only Senate Democrat running for reelection in a state Trump carried in 2024. But from the start, the senator ran as an aggressive Trump critic, with blistering critiques of "a failed president" that became a staple of voters' social media feeds across the country.

Ossoff was first elected in 2020, defeating Republican Senator David Perdue in a runoff held the day before Trump supporters attacked the US Capitol with hopes of stopping Democrat Joe Biden's certification as president-elect.
 

Republican Jim Schwartzel wins election to US House in Florida's 19th Congressional District.

Democrat Lois Frankel wins reelection to U.S. House in Florida's 23rd Congressional District.

Democrat Lucy McBath wins reelection to US House in Georgia's 6th Congressional District.

Democrat Nikema Williams wins reelection to US House in Georgia's 5th Congressional District.

Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz won election to the US House of Representatives representing Florida's 20th Congressional District, defeating Republican Brent Andersen.

Wasserman Schultz's switch to a new congressional district paid off as the former Democratic National Committee chair secured a 12th term in office. She is the first Jewish congresswoman elected from Florida and served in the state's House and Senate before winning federal office. Andersen founded a commercial and property insurance company and said that experience gave him unique insight into lowering property insurance costs, a growing concern in Florida. The Associated Press declared Wasserman Schultz the winner at 7:09 pm EST.

Democrat Jasmine Clark wins election to US House in Georgia's 13th Congressional District

Republican Jim Schwartzel wins election to US House in Florida's 19th Congressional District.

Democrat Oliver Gilbert wins election to U.S. House in Florida's 24th Congressional District.

Democratic incumbent Mark Warner won election Tuesday to the US Senate representing Virginia, defeating Republican Bert Mizusawa.

Warner won a fourth term to the Senate, where he serves as vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Mizusawa is a retired Army major general and Afghanistan war veteran.

Warner's victory comes in a state with some of the highest numbers of federal workers, who bore the brunt of President Donald Trump's efforts to slash the government workforce early in his second term. The Associated Press declared Warner the winner at 7 pm EST.

Democrat Morgan McGarvey wins reelection to US House in Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are contested. It is currently made up of 218 Republicans and one Republican-aligned independent, 214 Democrats, and two vacancies. Democrats need at least 218 seats in the lower chamber to clinch a majority in the new session.

House: watch the suburbs

New York's 17th district: Republican Mike Lawler faces Democrat Cait Conley in a Hudson Valley seat won by Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

Nebraska's 2nd: Republican Don Bacon's retirement leaves a competitive Omaha-area seat contested by Republican Brinker Harding and Democrat Denise Powell.

Pennsylvania: Republican incumbents Ryan Mackenzie, Rob Bresnahan and Scott Perry face closely watched Democratic challenges. Nearby New Jersey's 7th district, where Rebecca Bennett challenges Republican Tom Kean Jr, is also in play.

Virginia's 2nd: Democrat Elaine Luria seeks to reclaim the coastal seat she lost to Republican Jennifer Kiggans in 2022.

Iowa: Three Republican-held districts in the state's east and center could provide an early indication of whether Democrats are making broad gains.

Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take the upper chamber of Congress, as a 50-50 tie would leave Republicans in charge through Vice President JD Vance's tie-breaking vote.

Senate: Eight Battlegrounds

North Carolina: The state's Democratic ex-governor Roy Cooper faces Republican operative Michael Whatley in a bid to flip the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Thom Tillis, a vocal Republican Trump critic.

Strong polling for Cooper prompted both parties to shift some spending elsewhere, but the outcome is key for Democrats.

Texas: Democrat James Talarico, a Christian progressive, faces Trump-backed state Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose controversies have helped turn a longtime Republican stronghold into a closely watched contest. Paxton retains a loyal conservative following and enormous outside financial support. 

Ohio: Former Democratic senator Sherrod Brown seeks a comeback against Republican Jon Husted, who was appointed to replace Vance when he became vice president. Among the country's most expensive races, it's also a test of whether economic discontent can shift a state that has moved sharply rightward.

Maine: Republican Susan Collins faces former state Senate leader Troy Jackson. She has repeatedly survived difficult elections in a state that votes Democratic for president.

Alaska: Former Democratic congresswoman Mary Peltola challenges Republican Daniel Sullivan. Her strong standing among voters has made another Trump-voting state unexpectedly competitive.

Iowa: Republican congresswoman Ashley Hinson and Democrat Josh Turek compete for retiring Republican Senator Joni Ernst's seat, while soaring agricultural and energy costs are prominent issues.

Kansas: Democratic pastor Adam Hamilton is challenging Republican Roger Marshall in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932. Tight polling has prompted Trump to campaign for Marshall.

Michigan: An important Republican pickup opportunity pits former congressman Mike Rogers against progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed to fill the seat of retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters

Featuring one of the most diverse slates of both Democratic and Republican candidates in recent years, this midterm election has set up a possible wave of historic leadership firsts across the country.

Voters on Tuesday could propel into office the first Native American female governor and Native women senators, the first Black female governor,the first openly gay male U.S. senator and the first Muslim U.S. senator, among other milestones. Most are Democrats, but the GOP could also break ground.

While some of these candidates have avoided focusing on the inherent historic value of their race, gender, religion or sexual orientation, some voters' rights advocates are celebrating how the electorate has expanded.

“These firsts show how our country is changing,” Alexis Anderson-Reed, president and CEO of State Voices, a network of advocates for civic engagement and equity in democracy, said via e-mail.

“For years, people of color and LGBTQ communities have organized, knocked on doors, talked to voters, held conversations, and done the hard work of saving our democracy," Anderson-Reed said. "These wins are because of them.”

The first polling stations closed Tuesday in the US midterm elections, with Democrats hoping to secure control of Congress and the future of President Donald Trump's agenda in the balance.

Parts of Indiana and Kentucky were the first to shut polling places at 6:00 pm (2300 GMT). At stake in the midterms are all 435 seats in the House, one-third of the Senate, and a slew of state and local positions.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly encouraged voters to pretend he's on the ballot this Election Day. He's not, of course. But there is reason to believe that Tuesday's midterms, above all, will be a referendum on his performance over the last two years.

History, polling and early voting numbers suggest it could be a difficult night for Trump's Republican Party, though the political map, not to mention a fresh round of gerrymandering, could limit Democratic gains.

Voters are in the mood for change, according to the AP Voter Poll, which found that roughly three-quarters of voters say they feel "angry" or "dissatisfied" with the way things are going in the country today. Most appear to blame the Trump administration for high costs. About 6 in 10 say higher than usual prices are "more because of Trump's policies" rather than "more because of factors outside Trump's control."

Millions of Americans voted Tuesday in a midterm election seen as a referendum on Donald Trump that could wrest control of Congress from Republicans and impose major restraints on the president's remaining two years in office.

Polls predict the Democrats will win a majority in the House of Representatives and possibly seize the Senate on the back of voter resentment at an unpopular president, soaring energy costs and the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Republicans losing the House would give Democrats the power to stall Trump's legislative agenda and launch sweeping investigations of his administration.

Featuring one of the most diverse slates of both Democratic and Republican candidates in recent years, this midterm election has set up a possible wave of historic leadership firsts across the country.

Voters on Tuesday could propel into office the first Native American female governor and Native women senators, the first Black female governor,the first openly gay US senator and the first Muslim US senator, among other milestones. Most are Democrats, but the GOP could also break ground.

While some of these candidates have avoided focusing on the inherent historic value of their race, gender, religion or sexual orientation, some voters' rights advocates are celebrating how the electorate has expanded.

The final day of voting in this year's midterm elections arrived Tuesday against a backdrop of uncertainty after a year in which President Donald Trump has tried to interfere in how states run their elections and sown doubts about the outcome should Republicans lose.

Millions of Americans already cast their ballots, with early voting turnout on pace to eclipse that of the last midterm elections. In contrast to the president's continued rhetoric about election cheating, voting so far has unfolded with relatively few problems.

The vote-counting issues bedevilling Westchester County stem from a program update that happened after polling equipment was initially prepared and tested, according to the state Board of Elections.

A change in an unnamed local race required an update that wasn't made to machines in other counties, the board said. As a result, those tabulators were unable to recognise completed Election Day ballots.

State officials said they're working with their counterparts in Westchester County to restore ballot-scanning capability to at least one vote-counting machine at every polling location. Voting continues through established emergency ballot procedures.

Voters in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., are considering candidates for mayor aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America.

If Nithya Raman captures the mayoralty in LA and Janeese Lewis George wins in Washington, the two cities would follow New York's lead, where democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor in 2025 after promising to transform city government to restore power to the working class.

Both cities are heavily Democratic.

Raman is trying to oust Mayor Karen Bass, who's fighting to keep her job after a rough first term that included the deadly Palisades Fire, which ignited when she was out of the country and caught the fire department unprepared. The former political allies are progressive Democrats. (Associated Press)

Indian-American voters turned out at polling stations across Northern Virginia on Election Day, expressing concerns over rising anti-immigrant sentiment, immigration rights and increasing household expenses while calling for stronger legislative representation.

Casting their ballots in Ashburn, members of the Indian-American community described the election as an important moment for political representation, acceptance and safety. Several voters urged the community to support Democratic candidates, including Suhas Subramanyam and US Senator Mark Warner, citing concerns over discrimination, immigration policies and rising living costs. (ANI)

Opposition to data centres in communities across the US has snowballed from a local issue into a midterm election weapon in statewide races from Texas to Ohio to Florida amid the artificial intelligence revolution.

Candidates spent millions to paint their opponents as data centre patsies - giving them nicknames like "Data Nate" - as one-time data centre boosters worked to distance themselves or get tough on the industry.

They had an ally: Trump urged communities to accept data centres, as the industry spent millions to boost its image.

Meanwhile, the issue crossed traditional ideological boundaries.

Labour unions became allies of tech giants, as they scrambled to build the behemoth projects. (Associated Press)

Democrats have homed in on Trump's poor approval rating, public dissatisfaction with the war in Iran and affordability concerns. Republicans have focused on social issues, while Trump has made himself the central character of the midterms. (Associated Press)

Democratic nominee Micah Lasher, running to represent New York's 12th Congressional District in Manhattan, has signalled strong confidence on Election Day that voters nationwide are prepared to reclaim Congress, restore democratic norms, and address pressing cost-of-living challenges.

Speaking with ANI from Manhattan as voters headed to the polls in the 2026 US midterm elections, Lasher launched a sharp rebuke of the current leadership in Washington, pointing directly to President Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and congressional Republicans.

"We have people who have taken control of the White House, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson in the House, all of their minions who have made this country less affordable, are dismantling the rule of law for their personal profit," Lasher said. "Today we are going to begin the process of taking the country back, addressing issues of affordability, restoring the rule of law."

(ANI)

In the hours before polls opened for the US midterm elections on Tuesday, federal judges issued a series of rulings restricting the Trump administration's unprecedented efforts to pressure state election officials over alleged noncitizen voting. 

Over the past several months, as President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans geared up to defend their majorities in both houses of Congress, the administration ramped up a crackdown on noncitizen voting, which Trump allies say is a major problem even though evidence suggests it is exceedingly rare. 

That push has repeatedly encountered resistance in the courts. Federal judges have found that the Trump administration was overstepping its authority by wading into election administration, a responsibility that the US Constitution assigns to the states, and that lists it had generated of alleged noncitizens registered to vote were inaccurate and risked disenfranchising naturalized US citizens.

(Reuters)

Ballot machines malfunctioned Tuesday in a New York county that will help decide a closely contested House of Representatives race, though officials said votes for the US midterm elections are still being counted.

The Westchester County Board of Elections "is aware of an issue involving paper ballots that is preventing voting machines from accepting ballots at polling locations throughout the county," a statement read.

It "wants to reassure every voter that your vote matters, your ballot will be secure and your vote will be counted," with ballots instead placed in emergency bags.

(AFP)

Wall Street stocks were mixed early Tuesday in cautious trading ahead of midterm US election results as Apple retreated following earnings.

Political analysts expect President Donald Trump's Republican party to lose at least one of the two congressional chambers and possibly both.

Investors are also contending with conflicting signs on the state of the Middle East war, with Trump confirming new strikes on Iran at the same time the United States and Iran have revived diplomacy efforts.

About 10 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.5 percent at 51,723.37.

(AFP)

US President Donald Trump defended his record Tuesday in a final TV phone-in pitch to voters on the morning of midterm elections, saying he had rebuilt the country through his immigration crackdown, war on Iran and tariff policy.

"We have to keep America great. We're great now. We were terrible two years ago," Trump told the "Fox & Friends" show as Americans voted in elections that could see his Republican Party lose control of Congress.

Polls predict Democrats will win the House of Representatives and have a shot at the Senate, and Trump, whose own ratings have plunged, targeted his last-minute message at his right-wing base.

Voters began arriving at polling stations in Gaithersburg, Maryland, as voting commenced in the 2026 US midterm elections on Tuesday (local time), with several voters expressing hopes for political change and raising concerns over rising taxes and the country's future.

Voters arrived at the polling station to cast their ballots, with one of the early voters giving a thumbs-up as he exited after voting.

Speaking to ANI, Maryland voter Heather Mullican said she was excited about the elections and hoped they would bring significant changes to the country.

(ANI)

The US Justice Department said on Tuesday it was deploying 1,000 election monitors and observers to all 50 states in what it called the largest Election Day monitoring effort in history.

The number of monitors is roughly triple the number in the last midterm election. The deployment would be the largest observation effort in the department's history.

(Reuters)

Americans voted on Tuesday in pivotal midterm elections with Democrats hoping to seize control of Congress and impose the first significant checks on Donald Trump's chaotic second term in the White House.

Republicans losing the House would give Democrats the power to stall Trump's legislative agenda and launch sweeping investigations of his administration. A Senate defeat would also threaten his ability to appoint Supreme Court justices and senior officials.

The election amounts to a nationwide judgment on Trump, with the mood turning sharply against Republicans amid anger over soaring living costs and the war against Iran.

(AFP)

Voting now open in 27 states and around 1,000 election monitors deployed in 50 states, according to the Justice Department. Meanwhile, in central US, rain is spreading across the region. 19 polling stations in Florida have been moved due to flooding.

Polls opened on the US east coast on Tuesday in midterm elections that could upend Donald Trump's presidency, with Democrats looking to seize control of Congress and significantly curb his executive powers.

Multiple polls predict Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives and have a shot at seizing the Senate on the back of voter resentment at a deeply unpopular president, soaring energy costs and the dragging conflict with Iran.

(AFP)

Democrats are projected to hold an advantage over the Republican Party in five of the seven closely watched Senate races, both US House of Representatives contests and also the race for Georgia Governor, a 2026 Midterm Forecast brief issued by a leading consultancy in campaign and perception management has revealed.

As the voting takes place in the US midterm elections on Tuesday, the forecast by Psifos Advisory Group - a division of Newark-based Gateway Group One - gives Democrats an edge in eight of the 10 key races, with Republicans favoured in the remaining two.

Among the Senate races, Democratic candidates are expected to be ahead in Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia and Michigan, while Republicans hold an advantage in Iowa and Florida.

(IANS)