Source : AP, BBC, The Guardian (AI-generated image)
WASHINGTON – Polls have begun closing in the United States midterm elections, with control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate at stake for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s second term. Results are still coming in, and no party has yet been projected to win either chamber.
Latest update: November 4, 2026, 7:45 AM Malaysia time (6:45 PM Eastern Time, November 3). This story will be updated as results come in.
First polls close
The first polls closed in parts of Indiana and Kentucky at 6 PM Eastern Time (7 AM Malaysia time), the BBC and The Associated Press (AP) reported. The Louisville Courier Journal said polls in the western part of Kentucky would stay open until 7 PM Eastern Time. ABC News (Australia) said a handful of House districts in the two states had begun their counts, while the last polls are due to close in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands at 5 PM Australian Eastern Daylight Time, or 2 PM Malaysia time.
As of the latest update, The Guardian’s live results tracker showed none of the 35 Senate races and none of the 435 House races had been called. AP said it would call races in all 435 House districts and the 35 Senate contests this year.
What is at stake
Trump’s Republican Party currently controls both chambers. According to AP, Democrats must flip four seats in the Senate and three seats in the House to take control. Control of the House depends on which party reaches 218 seats; AP said 219 members currently caucus with Republicans.
AP noted that it is impossible to say when control of Congress will be known, as close races, mail-in ballots and differing state counting rules can delay results. The BBC said swing states and close contests would take longer to call, possibly days. The Guardian said there was a strong possibility the overall picture would not be clear until the following day or later in the week.
Turnout and voter mood
More than 59 million people had already cast ballots before Election Day, according to an AP analysis, surpassing the early-voter turnout of just over 58 million in 2022. The Guardian reported that several key states had seen record turnout.
In Kentucky, more than 438,000 people voted early by mail or in person, according to Kentucky State Board of Elections data reported by the Courier Journal, a rise of nearly 26 per cent on the 337,975 early votes cast in the 2022 midterms.
AP described the vote as a referendum on Trump’s second term, with voters frustrated over high prices. It reported that about three-quarters of voters said they felt “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the direction of the country. The BBC said a major voter survey suggested a majority of voters were unhappy with the economy.
Key races to watch
Kentucky is electing a successor to Senator Mitch McConnell in an open-seat race, the Courier Journal reported. ABC News (Australia) highlighted Kentucky’s 6th congressional district, which Trump won by 15 points in 2024 but which analysts now rate a toss-up, and Indiana’s 5th district as early indicators.
AP said Georgia, Michigan and New Hampshire are among the most competitive of the 13 Democratic-held Senate seats on the ballot. The BBC said Senate contests in Ohio and Iowa were being closely watched. The Guardian listed Florida, Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, whose polls close between 7 PM and 8 PM Eastern Time, as states that could give early signs of the night’s direction.
Results will be updated here as AP and other outlets call races.
About The Author
