Nearly 60 million Americans have already voted in midterms

Nearly 60 million Americans cast ballots before Tuesday's election, according to Pew Research Center. That figure comes from a pool of roughly 250 million eligible voters. Many of these ballots were submitted through early in-person voting or by mail.

The vote covers all 435 seats in the U.S. House and 35 Senate seats. Hundreds of local races are also on the ballot. The outcome will determine which party controls Congress. This shift will shape President Donald Trump’s ability to advance his agenda during the next two years.

The Justice Department announced the deployment of approximately 1,000 election monitors and observers. They will operate across all 50 states. This marks the department’s first monitoring effort to reach every state. Their work includes monitoring compliance with federal voting rights laws. These protections include rules against voter intimidation and requirements ensuring access for voters with disabilities.

Early voting totals alone will not reveal which party is gaining ground. Even in states that report voters’ party registrations, party affiliations do not always represent which candidates they supported.

Once polls close, close contests and the time needed to count outstanding ballots could leave control of Congress unsettled beyond election night.