Voting for the crucial US midterm elections began at 5:00 AM local time on Tuesday in the eastern state of Vermont. Since the start and end times for voting vary by state, the process does not begin or conclude simultaneously across the entire country.
A record number of early votes have been cast. At least 58.7 million voters cast their ballots before the official start of polling. As of 11:30 PM local time on Monday (4:30 AM Tuesday, Bangladesh time), a total of 58,677,062 votes had been recorded.
According to data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab, 31,897,521 people cast their votes in person at polling stations, while 26,779,541 voters submitted their ballots by mail.
In recent years, the option for early voting has expanded across more US states. According to the Center for Election Innovation & Research, approximately 97% of the country’s voters reside in areas that offer the opportunity to vote before the scheduled election day.
A live report from CNN indicates that preliminary results will begin to emerge once polls close on Tuesday. It may take until Tuesday evening—or, in many states, even Wednesday—to determine the final outcomes.
More than 230 million eligible voters are participating in these midterm elections. The contests include all 435 seats in the House of Representatives (the lower chamber of Congress) and 35 seats in the Senate.
Additionally, voters in 36 states are casting ballots to elect their governors.
