Polls Open Across United States in Crucial Midterm Elections

Voting has begun in the United States midterm elections, marking the first national test for President Donald Trump since he returned to office. Polls opened on Tuesday, starting with Vermont and several East Coast states including New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and Kentucky.

The Stakes

Around 210 million people are registered to vote in an election that will decide the balance of power in Congress for the rest of the presidential term. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 of the 100 Senate seats, and governorships in 36 states are up for grabs. President Trump's Republican Party currently controls both chambers of Congress, but Democrats need to win enough seats to take a majority in at least one chamber and limit his legislative power.

Campaign Issues and Markets

Early voting has surpassed past midterms, with opinion polls showing Democrats feeling more enthusiastic. On the final day of campaigning, President Trump described the national economy as booming, while reports noted that Americans are voting amid anger over high prices and a war with Iran. Meanwhile, stock markets struggled on Tuesday following a tech selloff on Wall Street. Seoul's Kospi fell 3.6% as companies like SK hynix and Samsung dropped, and markets in London, Paris, and Frankfurt also traded lower. At the same time, Brent crude oil prices rose 1.7% to $106.58 a barrel following reports of limited U.S. strikes on an Iranian island.

Context

Midterm elections happen midway through a U.S. President's four-year term and often serve as a public judgment on the current administration's performance. The results frequently shift control of Congress, which makes it harder or easier for the president to pass new laws. Vote counting schedules vary widely by state, meaning final results in some close races can take days or weeks to settle.