US midterms: Voting underway in crucial test for Donald Trump

United States: Voting is underway across several states in the US on Tuesday in a high-stakes midterm elections that is widely seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump.

It is past 8:00 am (ET) in the US and polls have opened in several states, with the first polls opening at 5 am (ET) in Vermont.

The other states in which polls have opened are:

• Alabama
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Missouri
• New York
• New Jersey
• New Hampshire
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Virginia
• West Virginia

Polls have also opened in several federal districts, including Washington DC.

The US midterms

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 of the 100 Senate seats and 36 governorships are being contested in the midterms.

Republicans currently hold both chambers by narrow margins. Historically, the party occupying the White House tends to lose seats in midterm elections.

In the House, the Republicans hold 218 seats as opposed to the 214 held by the Democrats. There are two vacant seats and one held by an Independent.

In the Senate, Republicans hold 53 whereas the Democrats hold 47. There are also two independent seats.

Opinion polls have indicated that Democrats could gain control of the House, although gaining control of the Senate is more important.

Key issues dominating midterms

Most opinion polls say the rising cost of living is the biggest issue on people's mind this time.

Issues such as inflation, the economy, immigration, and healthcare are also likely to influence how Americans vote.

The war with Iran is also a key factor that can determine the results of midterms.

When will polls close?

The closure of polls vary across states, with Kentucky and Indiana set to close them at the earliest at 6 pm (ET) (4:30 am IST).

Kansas will be the last to close polls, at 1 am (ET) (11:31 am IST), as reported by Indian Express.

When can results be expected?

As reported by the BBC, first results could come in soon after 6 pm (ET) (4:30 am IST), with the results of many key seats being 'called' by prominent media houses.

However, the publication of the final result will take more time as the final results will have to take into consideration the postal ballots as well as possible legal challenges that may occur.

(With inputs from BBC, The Guardian, Indian Express, Al Jazeera, PTI)