Washington: Over 210 million Americans cast their ballots on Tuesday in pivotal midterm elections, with early exit surveys predicting a strong wave of support for the Democratic Party and signalling a widespread desire for political change midway through President Donald Trump's term.

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Voting commenced at 6 am Eastern Time on Tuesday for all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives, 37 US Senate positions, 36 governorships and numerous local public offices. Polling stations began closing sequentially starting at 6 pm Eastern Time in Indiana and Kentucky (4.30 AM IST Wednesday), with closures continuing past midnight across multiple time zones.
 

Early national results from CNN's Voter Poll highlighted broad voter dissatisfaction with the nation's trajectory, economic conditions and President Trump's overall job performance. Simultaneously, a Fox News survey identified the economy and the state of democracy as the primary concerns driving voters to the polls.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, addressing volunteers at a Washington phone bank, asserted that Democrats were on the “brink of dramatic change” and close to reclaiming the House. "We're going to deliver a Congress that actually puts the American people first," Jeffries stated.

President Trump spent polling day at the White House alongside key advisers. Taking to social media, Vice President J D Vance reminded voters of tax cuts implemented over the past 18 months, writing on X: “We ended taxes on overtime. We ended taxes on tips. We ended taxes on Social Security.”


Cabinet secretaries Brooke Rollins, Doug Burgum, and Markwayne Mullin also publicly highlighted administration achievements throughout the day.

In an unexpected move on election day, President Trump announced that the US would halt USD 4 billion in annual aid to Israel starting next year. Democratic Representative Ro Khanna characterised the decision as a desperate move to avert a “Blue tsunami”.
 

The election comes amidst heightened foreign policy tensions. On the eve of the vote, the US conducted limited military strikes on Iran's Qesham Island in the Strait of Hormuz, which officials stated was in response to Iranian fire directed at a US aircraft.

Should pre-election projections hold and Democrats gain control of the US Congress, the shift will establish significant legislative checks on the administration, restricting President Trump's ability to enact key policy goals. Addressing the prospect of losing majorities in Congress during an interview on the New York Post’s Pod Force One podcast, Trump remarked, “I guess I'll become Mr Veto,” referring to executive veto powers.

Several Indian-American candidates featured prominently on the ballot. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy faced a closely watched contest against Democrat Amy Acton for Governor of Ohio. In Los Angeles, Kerala-born Democrat Nithya Raman competed against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Meanwhile, Democratic Representatives Ro Khanna, Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal, and Suhas Subramanyam mounted re-election bids for the House, while Democrats Pia Dandiya and Amish Shah contested competitive congressional races as first-time candidates.

Heading into the election, Republicans held narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress. In the House of Representatives, Speaker Mike Johnson led a 218–214 majority over Democrats, with one independent and two vacant seats. In the 100-member Senate, Republicans held a 53–47 advantage, requiring Democrats to achieve a net gain of four seats to flip the upper chamber.

According to figures compiled by the Associated Press, over 57 million early ballots were cast across 47 states and Washington, D C, marking a major increase from the 44.5 million early votes recorded in the 2022 midterm elections.

 

PTI