More than 57 million Americans had cast ballots before Election Day, as polls opened across the United States on Tuesday, November 3, for midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. The early-voting total was reported by The Associated Press, citing figures from the University of Florida Election Lab.
<pThe vote will decide whether Republicans retain their majorities in the House and Senate. Before polls opened, Democrats were widely projected to retake the House, while control of the Senate remained uncertain. Those projections are not results, and the balance of power will depend on the contests being decided across the country.
Turnout figures do not predict the outcome
More than 57 million people had voted in advance, but the total alone does not show which party they supported. Early-voting coverage also varies by state, making comparisons with previous elections less straightforward.
France 24 reported that the figure had passed 58 million, but that exact total could not be independently confirmed in the sources consulted. The University of Florida’s Election Lab tracks early ballots, but the accessible figures did not establish the 58-million threshold.
<pThe congressional outcome will shape President Donald Trump’s ability to advance legislation during the remainder of his term. A change in either chamber would also alter which party leads congressional investigations and oversight of the administration.
Clayton Ward