Washington, 03 November (H.S.): Voting in the United States midterm elections is scheduled to begin shortly, with polling set to start at around 4:30 pm Indian Standard Time (IST). Polling stations across different states will open between 5 am and 8 am local time. Voting is expected to conclude at around 5:30 am IST on November 4, after which the initial results are also expected to begin emerging.

As dawn approaches over Capitol Hill in Washington, the midterm elections are set to determine which party will exercise political control over the US Congress. American voters will cast their ballots for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships. The results will determine whether the Republican Party retains control of Congress during the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term or whether the Democratic Party regains control of one or both chambers.

According to CNN’s ‘Poll of Polls’, Democrats hold a nine-point lead in the generic congressional ballot. Election analysts have also indicated that several closely contested races are increasingly favouring Democratic candidates. A poll conducted by The New York Times and Siena University also shows Democrats leading in five key Senate races.

US President Donald Trump and his allies have repeatedly alleged widespread voting by non-citizens and electoral fraud. They have threatened legal action against election officials who, they claim, fail to ensure the security of the voting process or allow non-citizens to cast ballots. They have also filed lawsuits seeking to restrict the counting of disputed ballots in California and prevent the certification of election results in Alaska.

Meanwhile, several states have prepared legal strategies to deal with potential challenges before any confrontation arises. Some have already hired external legal counsel and are prepared to approach the courts to seek immediate relief or other legal remedies in the event of federal intervention.

At least 10 candidates are contesting the elections as independents this time. The Senate currently has two independent members — Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Senator Angus King of Maine. Both work in coordination with the Democrats. In the House of Representatives, California’s Kevin Kiley is the only independent member. Despite leaving the Republican Party in March, he continues to work alongside Republicans in the House.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar