In the United States, the first polling stations have been opened for the midterm elections. Although the Republicans may win the majority in the House of Representatives, the battle for the Senate promises to be very exciting.
Polling stations opened at 6 am local time on the East Coast, including Maine, New York and Virginia. More than 40 million voters across the country have already cast ballots for the election, which current President Joe Biden says is “a defining moment for democracy.”
The midterms take place two years after the last presidential election. Then, all 435 members of the United States House of Representatives are elected. The same is true for a third of the members of the Senate. This year there are 35 members.
Governors and other local representatives of the people are also elected in various states. The president will not be on the ballot again until 2024, but the midterms are seen as a referendum on the occupant of the White House.
The first polling stations close at midnight (Belgian time), and the last Wednesday at 6 am. As of 2020, some 40 states reported results around 9 am on Wednesday. Eight states took longer that year, including six states with competitive Senate races that can determine the balance of power in the next Congress.