Americans are heading to the polls today for the US midterm elections, a crucial vote that could shape the final two years of Donald Trump’s second presidency.
Republicans, who currently control the White House, are facing a challenge from Democrats, who hope to regain control of at least part of Congress and strengthen their influence in Washington.
The first polling stations are due to open at 6am local time (1pm Cyprus time) in several states on the East Coast. Almost 58 million Americans have already voted early, marking a record for midterm elections.
Democrats are hoping for a so-called “blue wave”, with opinion polls pointing to a possible victory in the House of Representatives, where all seats are being contested.
Democrats target control of Congress
Democratic candidates are also seeking to challenge the balance of power in the Senate, with polling by Siena College for The New York Times indicating competitive races in states including Maine, Alaska, Texas, Ohio and Kansas.
The political landscape has shifted considerably over the past year. Trump ordered military action alongside Israel against Iran, failed to deliver on promises to reduce the cost of living, and faced repeated accusations from Democrats over personal enrichment following his return to the White House in January 2025.
Midterms seen as a referendum on Trump
The elections are widely viewed as a referendum on the president, as the party occupying the White House has historically tended to lose seats in Congress during midterm elections.
Speaking in Washington on Monday, in his final address before the vote, Trump defended his record, saying: “I have kept more promises than I made.”
During his speech, the Republican president also focused on major projects in the US capital.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer criticised the address, describing it as “pathetic” and arguing that it reflected Trump’s disconnect from the everyday concerns of most Americans.
A Democratic victory in the House of Representatives would give the party greater influence over the federal budget and the power to launch congressional investigations, including into allegations of corruption involving Trump and his associates.
If Democrats also gain control of the Senate, they could block presidential appointments, particularly if a vacancy arises on the Supreme Court.
Despite the polling picture, Democrats remain cautious, having previously been surprised by surveys that underestimated the level of support for Trump’s political base.
‘If we lose Texas, we lose America’
Both parties spent the final hours of the campaign urging supporters to turn out and vote.
In a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, 77-year-old retired teacher Jane Collum was going door to door encouraging residents to support Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, who is seeking re-election.
“I genuinely feel an obligation to do everything I can to change the direction our country is heading in right now and put it back on the path of democracy,” she told Agence France-Presse.
Republican campaigning, meanwhile, became increasingly forceful in the final days before the vote.
“If we lose Texas, we lose America,” Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton warned at a rally in the state on Sunday.
Whatever the outcome, the midterm elections will also mark the beginning of the final phase of Trump’s presidency and could set the stage for an intense political contest within both parties ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
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