First polls close in US midterm elections as results begin to come in

The first polls have now closed in the 2026 US midterm elections, marking the start of the count in a contest that will decide control of Congress. Results are beginning to come in from Kentucky, including the state's 6th congressional district, one of the first closely watched races to report. The vote is being followed closely because all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are on the ballot.

In Kentucky's 6th district, polls closed at 6pm local time, or 23:00 GMT, after a day of voting across the country. The district includes Lexington, the state's second-largest city, and is being treated as an early indicator of how the night may unfold. Democrats have invested heavily in the campaign of US Navy veteran Zach Dembo, who is running against Ralph Alvarado, a physician and former state lawmaker backed by Donald Trump.

The outcome in that seat could offer an early signal of whether Republicans are on course to hold ground in other competitive races. More results are expected to follow through Tuesday evening, although some contests may not be called until Wednesday or later as officials continue counting ballots. The timing of the first returns means the balance of power in the House and Senate will remain uncertain for several hours.

The election carries wider significance because control of Congress will shape the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. Democrats are seeking to regain influence in both chambers, while Republicans are trying to defend their majorities in a highly polarised political environment. The result will affect legislation, oversight and the administration's ability to pursue its agenda.

The broader campaign has been shaped by concerns over the cost of living and by debate over foreign policy, including the war involving Iran. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate and a narrow four-seat majority in the House, so even modest shifts in turnout could alter the balance of power. That makes the first reported races important not only for local outcomes but also for the national political picture.

What remains unclear is how quickly the remaining battlegrounds will report and whether early results will match pre-election expectations. Officials are still releasing vote counts as more states finish voting, and the final outcome may not be known until later in the week. Attention will now turn to whether the early returns from Kentucky are reflected in other key districts and Senate races across the country.

Voting is underway across the United States in the 2026 midterm elections, with polling stations opening at different times because of time zone differences. The contest is being closely watched as a referendum on President Donald Trump's presidency, and early forecasts have made Democrats narrow favourites to win control of both chambers of Congress. That would give the party new leverage to slow or block parts of Trump's agenda during the final two years of his term.

The latest reporting says forecasters have firmed up their view that Democrats could gain enough seats to take both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Polls cited in the coverage suggest many voters are focused on cost-of-living pressures, including higher fuel costs linked to the Iran war, as well as concerns about corruption. Trump told a national breakfast television programme shortly after polls opened that he believed the results would be better than expected, despite the polling trend pointing the other way.

The Senate remains the closest contest, with forecasters saying it cannot be predicted with much confidence. In Texas, where Democrats have not won a Senate seat for almost four decades, some polls show candidate James Talarico ahead of his Republican rival. The reporting also notes that Democrats are wary of relying too heavily on forecasts after polls overstated their strength in several recent elections.

That caution reflects how quickly election-day expectations can shift once votes are counted. The result matters because control of Congress shapes legislation, oversight and the administration's ability to pursue its agenda. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate and a narrow four-seat majority in the House, so even modest changes in turnout could alter the balance of power.

The election is also being framed by both parties as a test of the political mood in the country, with pocketbook issues and trust in government central to the campaign. The broader context is a highly polarised political environment in which midterm elections often serve as a check on the party in the White House. The reporting says Democrats have campaigned on living costs and opposition to Trump's war on Iran, while Republicans have sought to limit losses despite the president's near record-low approval ratings.

In Michigan, the race has also been complicated by an unusual endorsement from Haley Stevens, who backed Republican Mike Rogers over her party's nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, after losing the Democratic Senate primary in August. What remains unclear is whether turnout on Election Day will match the already heavy early vote and whether the forecasts will hold as results come in from battleground states. The final outcome will depend on a wide range of states and districts that are still voting or have only just opened their polls.

Attention will now turn to whether Democrats can convert the polling lead into control of Congress and how that would shape the rest of Trump's term.

Americans are voting in the 2026 midterm elections on Tuesday, with polling stations opening at different times across the country because of time zone differences. In Fairfax, Virginia, voters were seen checking in at polling stations and casting ballots as Election Day voting got under way. Western states were still due to open their polls when voting was already in progress elsewhere.

The vote will determine control of Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. The supplied report says millions of Americans had already cast ballots before Election Day, and early voting turnout was on pace to surpass that of the previous midterm elections. That suggests participation is running high before the full count begins.

The election is being watched closely because control of Congress affects legislation, oversight and the administration's ability to pursue its agenda. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate and a narrow four-seat majority in the House, so even modest shifts in turnout or district-level results could alter the balance of power. The outcome will also shape the political environment for the rest of Trump's term.

The report highlights how staggered voting hours can create a rolling election day across the United States, with some states opening long before others. It also points to the importance of early voting, which has already become a major feature of modern US elections. In this contest, turnout patterns in battleground states are likely to be closely watched as results emerge.

What remains unclear is how turnout on Election Day will compare with the already strong early vote and whether the final result will produce changes in either chamber of Congress. The count will depend on a wide range of states and districts that are still voting or have only just opened their polls. Attention will now turn to whether the early patterns hold through the rest of the day and into the tally.

Polls have opened in parts of the United States for Tuesday's closely contested midterm elections, beginning in Vermont, New Jersey, Virginia, Connecticut and Kentucky. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are being contested, making the vote one of the most consequential election days in the country's recent political calendar. Voting hours vary by state, so the opening of polls is staggered across the country.

More than 57 million Americans have already cast early ballots, according to the supplied report, with some of the heaviest turnout coming from Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate and a narrow four-seat majority in the House. That balance means even modest shifts in turnout or district-level results could alter control of Congress.

The election is being watched closely because it could shape the final two years of Donald Trump's presidency. Democrats have campaigned on the cost of living and opposition to Trump's war on Iran, while Republicans are seeking to limit losses despite the president's near record-low approval ratings. The report says Democrats are aiming for historic gains in both chambers, while Republicans are relying on their most loyal voters and skepticism toward progressive politics.

The stakes are significant beyond Washington because control of Congress affects legislation, oversight and the administration's ability to pursue its agenda. A change in the balance of power could influence domestic policy on the economy, as well as the political response to foreign policy decisions. The contest also comes at a time when both parties are trying to define the direction of the country for the next two years.

The report also points to a notable development in Michigan, where Haley Stevens, who lost the Democratic Senate primary in August, endorsed Republican Mike Rogers over her party's nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, on Sunday. That endorsement underscores the unusual alliances and intraparty tensions that can emerge in tightly fought races. It also highlights how individual contests in battleground states may carry outsized weight in determining the overall result.

What remains unclear is how turnout will compare with the already heavy early voting and whether Republicans can avoid the losses that often face the party of a sitting president in midterm elections. The final outcome will depend on results from a wide range of states and districts, many of which are still voting. Attention will now turn to whether the early patterns in battleground states hold through the rest of election day and into the count.

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