Final votes will be cast Tuesday in elections spanning every state. Tens of millions of voters have already cast advance ballots for Congress, governors and state legislators, as well as for mayors, school boards and other local offices. The most critical contests are for Congress, where balance of majority power could shift from Republicans to Democrats in one or both chambers. The outcome will determine the future of President Trump's agenda in 2027-28. He's not on the ballot, but control of the House of Representatives and the Senate is at stake. Congress writes national laws and controls federal spending.

It's called a midterm election because it comes halfway through a four-year presidential term, and is considered a sign of endorsement or disapproval of the president and his party. Americans will pick 35 U.S. senators, all 435 House members, 36 governors, over 6,100 state legislators, and thousands of county, city and township officials. They'll also decide over 140 statewide ballot measures. In the Senate, Democrats must flip four Republican-held seats and keep those they have to gain control. In the House, Democrats need to gain just three seats.

House members represent one congressional district each and serve two-year terms, while senators (two from every state) serve six-year terms. Early voting by mail and in person is significantly higher than in 2022 (the last midterm election), with over 43 million Americans voting by last week via mail, dropoff sites or in person. That's nearly 10 million more than four years ago. One prominent Illinois voter, Pope Leo XIV, sent a mail ballot from Vatican City in Italy. He became the first American pope in May 2025 and now is the first pope to vote in a U.S. election. Nationally, results in some close races may not be confirmed until Wednesday or maybe later. Congressional winners will be sworn in on Jan. 3.

White House says: "President Trump has done more than any other president to ensure we have free and fair elections." – Lauren Bis, spokeswoman

Blogger posts: "A dark shadow looms over the election: If Democrats ride a blue wave to power, will President Donald Trump and the Republican Party accept the results? Or will Trump cry foul and try to overturn them?" – Tom Jones of the Poynter Institute, a journalism center in Florida

Columnist says: "These midterms mark a potential turning point." – Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times