Americans vote in 2026 midterms that will decide control of Congress

Americans headed to polling stations across the United States on Tuesday, November 3, for the 2026 midterm elections, according to Euronews. The vote will determine which party controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term.

Euronews reported that voters in Fairfax, Virginia, checked in at polling stations and filled out ballots as Election Day voting got under way. Polls open at different times across the country because of time zone differences, and voting was still due to begin in some western states.

Millions of Americans had already cast ballots before Election Day. Euronews said early voting turnout was on pace to surpass that of the previous midterm elections.

One of the most closely watched contests is the Senate race in Michigan, according to France 24. The race took an unexpected turn on Sunday when Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers over her party's nominee, Abdul El-Sayed.

Both candidates made their final appeals to voters at campaign rallies on Monday evening, France 24 reported. El-Sayed, a progressive, has pledged to "take the money out of politics and put it in your pocket", as France 24 quoted him. Cost of living is among the main concerns of many voters.

France 24 described the Michigan contest as a test of two sharply different strategies in a major swing state, in a race that could help decide control of the Senate. It said El-Sayed has so far outpolled Rogers and is emerging as one of the Democratic Party's rising stars.

The Verge reported that the elections will determine the scope of Trump's power in his final two years and signal what voters care about ahead of the 2028 presidential election. It said affordability is expected to define most races, while data centres, energy costs, AI safety and surveillance technology are also on voters' minds.

The Verge also noted spending by AI-linked groups: Leading the Future, a super PAC backed by Marc Andreessen and Greg Brockman, has spent $45 million, while the Anthropic-backed Public First Action says it has raised $80 million.