The elections on November 3 will renew all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 seats in the Senate. Democrats and Republicans are vying for legislative control, while 36 states will elect governors and various cities will renew their local authorities
WASHINGTON – Nearly 250 million U.S. citizens are eligible to participate this Tuesday, November 3, in the midterm elections , a day that will define the composition of Congress and have important repercussions for the last two years of President Donald Trump's administration, according to data from the Pew Research Center and the University of Florida's Election Lab, cited by the EFE news agency .
In that regard, projections from the Pew Research Center indicate that the registered voters comprise approximately 249.75 million people, which represents an increase of 8.45 million, equivalent to 3%, compared to the 2022 legislative elections.
However, it should be noted that this number corresponds to citizens over 18 years of age with the right to vote and not necessarily to those who will go to the polls during the day.
Within that electoral universe are approximately 39 million Hispanics, who represent 16% of the total and constitute the second largest population segment, after white Americans.
Adding to this picture is early participation, since, before the opening of the polling stations, more than 57 million people had already exercised their right to vote, both in person and by mail, according to figures from the University of Florida's Election Lab, released by EFE.
Democrats and Republicans are vying for control of Congress
On the legislative front, the contest mainly pits the Republican Party, to which Donald Trump belongs, against the Democratic Party, which aspires to regain control of both chambers.
Specifically, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives will be up for election. Meanwhile, 35 Senate seats will be contested: 33 through the regular election cycle and two special elections to fill the vacancies left by Marco Rubio and JD Vance, who assumed the positions of Secretary of State and Vice President, respectively.
As for the current distribution of forces, Republicans have a 53-45 majority in the Senate, while two independent senators are part of the bloc that votes with the Democrats.
Similarly, in the House of Representatives, Republicans retain control, albeit with a narrow margin over their political opponents. For this reason, the results in the most contested districts will be crucial in determining which party will lead both legislative bodies for the remainder of the presidential term.
Leading candidates for Senate
Among the senatorial races that have garnered national attention, the following stand out:
- Maine: Republican Susan Collins seeks to retain her seat against Democrat Troy Jackson.
- Ohio: Republican Jon Husted faces Democrat Sherrod Brown, who is seeking a return to the Senate.
- Alaska: Republican Senator Dan Sullivan is running against former Democratic Representative Mary Peltola.
- Iowa: Republican Ashley Hinson is vying for the position against Democrat Josh Turek.
Taken together, these races are among those that could shift the balance of power in the Senate. That's why Democrats need to gain four seats to reach a majority.
Meanwhile, in Florida and Ohio, special elections are also being held to complete the legislative terms that were left pending after the departures of Rubio and Vance.
Election of governors in 36 states
Beyond the congressional races, the day includes gubernatorial elections in 36 states. In this electoral arena, the two main political forces seek to expand their territorial presence and strengthen their representation at the state level.
Among the most prominent candidates are:
- California: Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton.
- Florida: Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly.
- Georgia: Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson.
- Texas: Republican Greg Abbott seeks to continue in office against Democrat Gina Hinojosa.
- Alabama: Republican Tommy Tuberville and Democrat Doug Jones are vying for the governorship.
Similarly, these competitions are complemented by the municipal elections scheduled in cities such as Washington DC, Los Angeles, Oakland, Louisville and Raleigh, among other locations, where various authorities will also be renewed.
A decisive day for Trump's last two years
From a political perspective, the results will allow us to measure the electoral support for the main political forces and establish the legislative margin that Donald Trump will have to advance his initiatives during the second half of his administration.
Regarding the voting process, the first polling stations opened at 5:00 a.m. in Vermont, while the other centers began receiving voters gradually, due to the time differences between states.
The last polling places in Hawaii and Alaska will close overnight. Once voting has concluded in the various jurisdictions, major news outlets will begin releasing partial projections of the results.
However, although the initial estimates will allow for the identification of trends in voter behavior, the definition of control in some contests could be extended due to the process of counting mail-in ballots and votes that remain pending processing.
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