Overview
- As of Oct. 31, nearly 48 million Americans had voted early, a pre‑Election Day record driven by big surges in battleground states and higher participation by Black and Hispanic voters.
- Poll aggregators and forecasters now favor Democrats to retake the House, with projections clustering between roughly 227 and 241 seats and several models showing strong probability of a Democratic majority.
- The Senate race is highly competitive because Democrats must net four seats to win control, and early voting spikes in pivotal states such as Texas have made several contests — including Texas, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan and Maine — decisive.
- President Donald Trump has resumed in‑person rallies during the closing days of the campaign while his approval ratings remain low, and a federal judge rejected the Justice Department’s request to segregate up to 20,000 California ballots.
- Significant uncertainty remains because millions will vote on Nov. 3, state rules differ on when ballots are scanned and reported, and control of Congress would quickly affect confirmations, spending and U.S. international policy.