Midterm Election 2026: 435 House Seats and 1,000 Federal Observers in Play
Nearly 60 million voters already cast ballots, while the Justice Department deploys its first nationwide monitoring team.
By Maya Morris ·
Americans vote Tuesday for the entire U.S. House and 35 Senate seats.
All 435 House positions and 35 Senate positions are on the ballot, alongside hundreds of local races. The outcome will determine which party controls Congress. This result also shapes President Donald Trump's ability to advance his agenda over the next two years.
Pew Research Center reports that roughly 250 million Americans are eligible to vote. Nearly 60 million of them cast ballots before Tuesday. These voters used early in-person voting or mailed their ballots. Analysts note that early totals alone do not reveal which party is gaining ground. In states that report party registration, those affiliations do not always match the candidates voters supported.
The Justice Department announced it is deploying approximately 1,000 election monitors and observers across all 50 states. This marks the first time the department has conducted a monitoring effort covering every state. These monitors will check compliance with federal voting rights laws. Their duties include protecting against voter intimidation and ensuring access for voters with disabilities.
Once polls close, control of Congress may remain unsettled beyond election night. Close contests and the time required to count outstanding ballots could delay the final results.
Source: WBTV
