US mid-term elections: who was the real winner today?

US mid-term elections: who was the real winner today?

Midterm elections blog

It’s election day in the United States, and Americans have flocked to the polls in huge numbers to have their say on Donald Trump’s presidency.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 in the Senate were up for grabs in the midterms.

Democrats were hoping to win the 23 seats they needed to seize a majority in the House. They needed two seats to take control of the Senate. Times in AEST.

It’s been a bad day for Donald Trump as the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives but it was not the “blue wave” win the party was hoping for. It was another story in the Senate, with the Republicans picking up extra seats. A final seat count is not yet known. This blog has now finished — click here for the latest live results coverage.

9.46pm

Dead brothel owner wins state seat

In a pretty demoralising result for the Democrat who ran against Dennis Hof in a Nevada state assembly seat, they have been beaten by the Republican who is not even alive.

Brothel owner Dennis Hof died three weeks before the vote but his supporters still put their support behind the man who owned the Moonlite BunnyRanch and appeared in the HBO series Cathouse.

Another candidate from the Republican party will be found to replace Mr Hof.

Nevada held its own state election on Tuesday and this does not impact the results in the Congress.

9pm

Update on the House results

Despite the fact that it’s 5am in New York at the moment, counting is continuing. The latest predictions have the Democrats taking up to 228 seats in the House, compared to the Republicans on 207.

About 88 per cent of the vote has been counted and the results in some seats are very close so this could change.

At the moment 222 seats have been called for the Democrats and the Republicans have 199. Fourteen seats haven’t been called.

While Donald Trump is busy spinning the midterms result as a win, it’s really not.

You can read about on how it will make the President’s life a lot harder in this story.

8.30pm

Voters support legalisation of marijuana

Michigan voters have made their state the first in the Midwest to legalise recreational marijuana, passing a ballot measure that will allow people 21 or older to buy and use the drug and putting conservative neighboring states on notice.

Three other states had marijuana-related measures on their ballots.

North Dakota voters decided recreational pot wasn’t for them, while voters in Missouri passed one of three unrelated measures to legalize medical marijuana. Utah voters also were considering whether to allow medical marijuana and to join the 31 other states that have already done so.

7.50pm

Trump thinks his position will improve

The US President continues to put a positive spin on the Republican’s loss of control in the House of Representatives. Earlier he tweeted commentary from Fox anchor David Asman who suggested Mr Trump’s position with Republicans would improve. Asman said candidates who won tonight will “realize how important he (Trump) is because of what he did in campaigning for them. They owe him their political career”.

Mr Trump added: “Thanks, I agree!”.

.@DavidAsmanfox “How do the Democrats respond to this? Think of how his position with Republicans improves-all the candidates who won tonight. They realize how important he is because of what he did in campaigning for them. They owe him their political career.” Thanks, I agree! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018

7.30pm

Texas candidate drops f-bomb in concession speech

Democrat Beto O’Rourke almost pulled off the impossible, losing narrowly his Senate race to Republican Ted Cruz.

Mr O’Rourke addressed a screaming crowd while some networks aired his speech live, something they probably regetted as the onetime punk musician got a little carried away.

“I want to thank this amazing campaign of people,’ he said. ‘All people all the time, all the time, in every single part of Texas, all of you, showing the country how you do this. I’m so f***ing proud of you guys.”

6.25pm

Democrats pick up a Senate seat

Jacky Rosen is projected to win the seat of Nevada, the only seat the Democrats have managed to wrestle from the Republicans.

So far the Republicans have 51 seats in the Senate, the Democrats have 44 and there are five outstanding.

6.10pm

What a night for women

A record number of women have been elected to the House of Representatives and they have played a crucial role in the Democrats’ win.

So far women have successfully taken 21 seats away from the Republicans, according to CNN, and the Democrats only needed to flip 23 seats to win.

The Washington Post says a total of 92 female candidates have won seats in the House, smashing the previous record of 84.

The surge of female candidates this year has drawn comparisons to the “Year of the Woman,” when in 1992 voters sent 47 women to the House, and four women joined the Senate bringing women’s numbers to six.

As CNN political director David Chalian said, this was “female-powered victory” for the Democrats.

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, one of the Democrats who is considering the 2020 race, said that the two years since Trump ascended to the White House had ushered a new generation of women into public life.

“Women who had never run for anything stepped up to put their names on the ballot,” she said.

“They ignored the party bosses who said they should wait their turn. They ignored the consultants who said they should cover up their tattoos and smile more, and they ignored the powerful men of the Republican Party who never took them seriously anyway.

“They refused to let anyone shut them up or stand in their way, and that is how real change begins.”

5:15pm

Trump works the phones

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders says Mr Trump has been calling victorious Republican candidates to congratulate them on “the historic Senate gains".

Rick Scott, Mike DeWine, Kevin Cramer, Josh Hawley, Brian Kemp and Ron DeSantis were among the lucky recipients of those phone calls, along with Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and retiring House Speaker Paul Ryan.

The ever modest Mr Trump has also shared a quote from writer and lawyer Ben Stein, calling him an “astonishing vote getter" and saying he “has magic coming out of his ears".

“There’s only been 5 times in the last 105 years that an incumbent President has won seats in the Senate in the off year election. Mr. Trump has magic about him. This guy has magic coming out of his ears. He is an astonishing vote getter & campaigner. The Republicans are......... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018

....unbelievably lucky to have him and I’m just awed at how well they’ve done. It’s all the Trump magic - Trump is the magic man. Incredible, he’s got the entire media against him, attacking him every day, and he pulls out these enormous wins.” Ben Stein, “The Capitalist Code” — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018

4:20pm

Who really won?

These midterm results have turned into a really bad “choose your own adventure” book. Pretty much everyone is claiming victory. Worse, they all have a point.

Democrats have won control of the House, flipping about 30 seats.

But Republicans have gained seats in the Senate.

Democrats have won the popular vote by a whopping 8 per cent, which is higher than the Republicans' margin in 2010.

But in 2010, the Republicans won back 63 seats - twice as many.

Donald Trump is now facing far more scrutiny from Congress.

But wherever he campaigned, Republican candidates won.

Pick your favourite narrative. They’re all true, even as they spawn very different conclusions.

“Tonight was a massive win for Donald Trump and the people he campaigned for," Fox News host Sean Hannity said. “The Democrats winning the House is meaningless.”

“It's nice for Donald Trump to tweet about a ‘tremendous success' tonight. It’s not a tremendous success," said CNN’s Jake Tapper.

“They (the Democrats) are going to make his life a living hell.”

¯\_( )_/¯

4:05pm

Hello from the other side

Mr Trump has called incoming House majority leader Nancy Pelosi to congratulate her. Civility is not dead!

3:55pm

Another Senate seat flips

Republicans are having a very good night in the Senate.

Josh Hawley has beaten Senator Claire McCaskill to claim his party's third slipped seat of the night.

So, while losing the House, the Republicans have actually increased their majority in the other chamber of Congress.

3:40pm

The victor

Nancy Pelosi, who was Speaker of the House when the Democrats last held a majority and may be about to claim the job again, has spoken about the need for “unity”.

“Tomorrow will be a new day in America,” Ms Pelosi said.

She promised to lead “with transparency and openness” and to “strive for bipartisanship”.

“We've all had enough of division.”

3:30pm

‘A rainbow wave'

A few hours ago, CNN commentator Van Jones said the Democrats failure to take the Senate was “heartbreaking”. He’s in a slightly better mood now.

“It may not be a blue wave, but it’s a rainbow wave,” he said.

Mr Jones said the Democrats had become “younger, browner, cooler,” with “more women, more veterans”.

“We have the first Muslim women, first Native American women,” he said.

“Something is happening out there.”

The previous record of 84 women in Congress has been broken. Two Muslims are among them. The Democrats also boast the youngest ever Congresswoman, 29-year-old Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez.

The diversity push did not succeed everywhere, however. Notably, black gubernatorial candidates Stacey Abrams and Andrew Gillum both fell short.

3:20pm

Trump stirs

Donald Trump has spoken for the first time since polls closed, and he’s a happy chappy.

Tremendous success tonight. Thank you to all! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018

3:00pm

The popular vote

We haven’t spoken much about the national popular vote today, because in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter. It has no effect on individual seats.

Still, the New York Times currently projects the Democrats will win the popular vote by a massive 8.1 per cent.

That is higher than the Republicans’ 7.2 per cent margin when they gained more than 60 seats in 2010.

2:55pm

Youngest Congresswoman in history

Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, a 29-year-old Democrat, has become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress after winning more than 75 per cent of the vote in her seat.

2:50pm

Democrats win the House

All the major US networks are now projecting the Democrats have won the House.

That is a critical blow for Donald Trump. He will no longer be able to pass legislation without the support of his political opponents.

The Democrats will also gain control of important congressional committees, giving them the power of oversight over the White House. That means they will be able to investigate Mr Trump and his associates.

“He (Mr Trump) may feel good tonight,” former Obama strategist David Axelrod told CNN.

“He’s not going to feel good about it down the line.

“It really changes life in the White House, because you’re constantly under scrutiny, subpoenas fly and you have to play defence in a way that you didn’t have to before.”

2:45pm

Florida finally decided

Republican Ron DeSantis has won the gubernatorial race in Florida after hours of vote counting.

2:35pm

Democrats inch closer

With a few more races being called, the Democrats now need just seven more seats to take the House, and are currently leading in 19 Republican districts.

2:25pm

Republicans keep the Senate

A big moment for Donald Trump's party, with CNN and ABC now projecting the Republicans have retained control of the Senate.

That call comes courtesy of incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz fending off a surprisingly close challenge from Beto O’Rourke.

Democrats had only an outside chance of taking the Senate when voting started today, but this will still leave them feeling a little deflated.

2:20pm

Trump’s next challenger?

Emma has been at the victory party for re-elected New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has been talked about as a potential presidential candidate for the Democrats in 2020.

He delivered a speech denouncing Donald Trump’s style of politics, and it left a good impression.

2:05pm

Trump's man gone

Democrat Laura Kelly has defeated Donald Trump's handpicked gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach in Kansas. That will be one of her party’s more satisfying wins of the night.

2:00pm

He's baaaack

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has won a Senate seat in Utah.

Mr Romney lost to Barack Obama in 2012, and was a vocal opponent of Donald Trump during the Republican primaries two years ago.

We can expect him to be a senior voice in the Senate.

1:55pm

15 to go

The Democrats have picked up one seat in Colorado, one in Michigan, one in New Jersey and another in Florida. They are now 15 short of officially claiming a majority, which seems inevitable.

The map is starting to fill up with colour.

1:35pm

Bold projection

Some better news for the Democrats - Fox News now projects they will win control of the House.

They just claimed two more seats off the Republicans in Pennsylvania, and are currently leading in 31 other Republican-held seats.

They need to claim a total of 23.

1:30pm

Another crushing blow

Republican Mike Braun has defeated incumbent Democrat Senator Joe Donnelly in Indiana. The Senate is not going to flip today.

1:15pm

No ‘blue wave’

The Democrats still expect they will gain control of the House, but this is not a victory on the scale many hoped for.

“This is not a blue wave. This is not a wave that’s knocking out all sorts of Republican incumbents,” CNN host Jake Tapper said as results continued to roll in.

“There is no tsunami,” analyst Gloria Borger agreed.

“There's a lot of disappointment that I’m hearing.

“The excitement, the balloon is popping.”

Some key results are going against the Democrats. They have failed to take congressional districts that were thought to be bellwethers, such as the sixth district in Kentucky. They continue to trail in the Florida Senate race.

There is a long way to go, but Donald Trump might be feeling relatively pleased right now.

some of the early senate results are clearly disappointing

1:00pm

History made

Over in Michigan, Democrat Rashida Tlaib has become America’s first ever Muslim congresswoman.

12:50pm

Democrats’ relief

Democrat West Virginian Senator Joe Manchin was thought to be vulnerable, but he has been re-elected quite comfortably.

12:45pm

Big call

NBC projects Republican Andy Barr has won the sixth congressional district in Kentucky. We mentioned that as an important race to watch earlier.

12:40pm

Trouble in Texas

Don’t get overexcited or anything yet, but Democrat Beto O’Rourke is leading incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz in deep red Texas with about a third of the vote counted.

12:35pm

Oh, is there an election on?

12:20pm

‘It's a virtual tie’

That is a quote from CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, referring to the sudden reversal of the Democrats’ previously impressive leads in Florida.

In the governor’s race, Republican Ron DeSantis has pulled ahead of Andrew Gillum. In the Senate, Rick Scott now leads incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson. The margins in both races are agonisingly thin.

There is better news for the Democrats in the House, where Donna Shalala just secured their second flipped seat. They need 21 more.

Here is what the national map currently looks like, courtesy of CNN. You will notice a lot of red - that’s because the Democrats’ voters are concentrated in small urban areas, while the Republicans tend to win all the larger rural counties.

12:05pm

Good news for Trump

The high profile race to become Georgia's governor is not close at the moment, with Republican Brian Kemp leading Democrat Stacey Abrams 65-34.

Mr Trump and Oprah Winfrey each visited the state to support their respective candidates.

Meanwhile, the margins are tightening in Florida, where Democrat Andrew Gillum is suddenly only 900 votes ahead.

Here is the latest from Fox News’ probability calculator. Red is Republican, blue is Democrat.

12:00pm

Updated forecast

At the moment, nothing has happened to change the experts' predictions. It still seems likely the House will fall to the Democrats, while Republicans' control of the Senate is safe.

11:50am

First pick-up of the day

We have a result in Virginia's 10th congressional district, where Democrat Jennifer Wexton has claimed the Democrats’ first flipped seat.

One down, 22 to go.

11:45am

Add snacks

Emma chimes in with some quality sass.

So many issues at the polls today across the country, stifling democracy. This is an area where US could definitely learn from Australia - make #ElectionDay a day off, make voting compulsory. Add snacks. #TooEasy #Election2018 #MidtermElections #midterms2018 #ElectionNight2018 https://t.co/3rlK8dtTEk — Emma Reynolds (@emmareyn) November 7, 2018

11:35am

Counting accelerates

Polls have now closed in Ohio, North Carolina and West Virginia.

There are now 15 Democrats leading in Republican-held congressional districts. Remember, they need to pick up 23 to take control of the House.

11:25am

The key races

Florida is the swingiest of swing states, so it is always a good barometer.

The Democrats’ candidate for governor there, Andrew Gillum, is currently leading 52-48. In the Senate race, Republican Rick Scott is trailing Democrat Bill Nelson. Those numbers should worry, but not panic Mr Trump, given he won the state in 2016.

“The Democrats are pulling ahead significantly," CNN expert John King said.

There is much better news for the President in Indiana, where Republican Mike Braun is leading incumbent Democrat Joe Donnelly 58-38.

But Democrats are currently leading in five Republican-held House seats.

11:15am

A sensible voter

In such bitter, partisan times, this is a particularly refreshing attitude from New York voter Fernando Luciano.

Mr Luciano told our US correspondent Emma Reynolds he had voted for a mixture of Republicans and Democrats, and the most important factor for him was “transparency”.

Fernando Luciano voted for his favourite candidates - a mixture of Republican and Democrat - and says he wants more ‘transparency’ from his representatives #Midterms2018 #MidtermElections2018 #ElectionNight #VoteToday pic.twitter.com/fI8WPy5Jjr — Emma Reynolds (@emmareyn) November 7, 2018

11:10am

No impeachment

If the Democrats take the House tonight, Nancy Pelosi will probably become Speaker.

She has told PBS her party will not move to impeach Mr Trump unless there is “overwhelming" evidence.

PELOSI NOW to @JudyWoodruff: For impeachment to happen it would have to be bipartisan and the evidence would have to be overwhelming (from Mueller investigation).



Insists "that's not what our caucus is about". — Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) November 6, 2018

11:05am

White House speaks

The White House wants everyone to know that Mr Trump has been helpful.

“As President, Donald J. Trump has headlined an unprecedented 50 rallies — 30 in the last two months alone — and he has campaigned for dozens of candidates at all levels of government," the statement reads.

“The President has energized a staggering number of Americans at packed arenas and in overflow crowds at rallies across the country.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Republican National Committee has raised more than a quarter billion dollars, fueling an extraordinary ground game geared toward defying midterm history and protecting the GOP’s majorities.

Mr Trump will be watching the results with friends and family at the White House.

11:00am

Some more results

Polls have just closed in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, South Carolina and Vermont.

Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton's vice-presidential nominee Tim Kaine have both been re-elected comfortably.

10:45am

This looks fun

US correspondent Emma Reynolds brings us this footage from a dark and wet polling place in New York, where voters are still stuck waiting in a massive line.

Longest queue yet! Staff reassuring wet, tired people in line say it’s been like this all day thanks to ‘unprecedented’ number of voters. Just over 2 hours until polls close #UES #NYC #Midterms2018 #MidtermElections2018 #ElectionDay #Vote2018 pic.twitter.com/tV7P9Aq8In — Emma Reynolds (@emmareyn) November 6, 2018

10:40am

Finally, a result!

Republican Hal Rogers has been re-elected in Kentucky’s fifth district.

This is entirely expected and tells us nothing of value but it's nice to have a result to report.

Of more importance are the early numbers in the Indiana Senate race, where incumbent Democrat Joe Donnelly is way behind his Republican challenger Mike Braun by about 13,000 votes. But with just two per cent of the ballots counted, we probably shouldn't get ahead of ourselves.

10:35am

You do you, Elon

10:30am

Running out of ballots

The chaos at polling stations is continuing into the evening. Some locations have been ordered to stay open later than usual to give everyone a chance to vote.

Adding to the mess is the fact that some places are running out of ballots.

In more positive news, one of those polling places is called Porcupine, which is pretty darn adorable.

I just spoke to a poll worker at the Porcupine Community Center @StandingRockST. They have 8 ballots left. The polls are open for another 1.5 hours. The copier is out of toner. She has requested that more ballots be brought there. #NDNativeVote — Carrie Levine (@levinecarrie) November 6, 2018

10:20am

Beyonce's late intervention

With just hours left before polls close in Texas, Beyonce has made a very late endorsement.

“I’m feeling grateful for everyone before me who fought so hard to give us all the right to have a voice. We can’t voice our frustrations and complain about what’s wrong without voting and exercising our power to make it right,” she wrote on Instagram, donning a hat supporting the Democrat’s Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke.

Not a moment too soon, Bey.

10:05am

First polls have closed

Results are now starting to come in from parts of Kentucky and Indiana. It's too early to draw any conclusions, but stay tuned.

10:00am

‘Astonishing' turnout

Joe Hockey was on 2CC radio this morning marvelling at the sheer scale of the midterm elections.

“Voter turnout in America has been absolutely astonishing, and it’s been an early voter turnout," he said.

“And the money! Nearly six billion US dollars have been spent.”

9:40am

First results imminent

America’s various time zones mean results will be staggered over several hours. The first ones are due in 20 minutes.

We will be keeping a particularly close eye on the sixth congressional district in Kentucky, which could indicate how large the swing against Republicans will be.

9:30am

Looking to the heavens

Dear God let this be a good sign pic.twitter.com/vH2HhnEbxx — Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) November 6, 2018

9:15am

Ominous signs in exit polls

Let's preface this post with the usual caveats about exit polls. They are not always reliable, and are certainly no substitute for actual results.

Nevertheless, they can provide some interesting insights. This time, those insights are ominous for the President.

CNN’s early exit poll data shows a 44 per cent approval rating for Mr Trump, with 55 per cent of voters disapproving of his performance.

Forty-seven per cent of voters strongly disapprove, while just 31 per cent strongly approve. That suggests there is an intensity advantage among Democrats.

Intriguingly, a third of voters said Mr Trump was not even a factor in their vote.

The top issue motivating voters was health care, with 41 per cent nominating it as the most important factor in their decision. Twenty-three per cent said immigration, and 21 per cent said the economy.

Speaking of which, voters overwhelmingly believe the American economy is in good shape. But at the the same time, 56 per cent of them said the country was “on the wrong track".

“Republicans had better hope these numbers change,” senior political analyst David Gergen said.

“These are great numbers for Democrats and bad numbers for Republicans," said host Jake Tapper.

We should start receiving the first actual results in about 45 minutes.

9:00am

Voters face huge waits

Many Americans have been forced to wait hours to cast their votes, with long lines and technical problems at polling stations creating a chaotic atmosphere.

That is an encouraging sign, in a way, because it means more people than usual are participating in the process.

But it also means people could lose their chance to vote. Not everyone has the time to stand in line for hours, and some have reportedly given up and left.

8:40am

Trump driving very high turnout

Tom Switzer, the Executive Director of the Centre for Independent Studies, has just been chatting to Sky News about the high voter turnout.

“There’s no question that Donald Trump generates a lot of enthusiasm among his supporters, but he also generates a lot of hostility from his opponents,” Mr Switzer said.

“There’s a lot of polarisation, it’s all very toxic, so in that environment it’s not surprising that a lot of people would turn out to vote.”

He said there would be a swing against the Republicans - the only question was how big that swing would be.

“Donald Trump is entitled to say, if the Democrats only win the House by about 10 seats, that this is just a reaffirmation of history.”

Other presidents have indeed suffered crushing midterm defeats in the past, including Mr Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama, who lost more than 60 House seats in 2010.

8.15am

Republicans fear House slipping away

Nerves are jangling with less than two hours to go until the first polls close at 6pm EST in parts of Kentucky and Indiana. In other states, including New York, voters will be able to cast their ballot until 9pm.

Anxious Republicans privately expressed fears the House of Representatives was slipping away. The GOP’s grip on high-profile governorships in Florida, Georgia and Wisconsin were at risk as well.

Aides were reportedly preparing Donald Trump to lose the House over the weekend, with the President insisting he would “figure it out” if he loses control of Congress.

Democrats could derail Mr Trump’s legislative agenda for the next two years if they win control of the House or the Senate. They will also be able to claim subpoena power to investigate Mr Trump’s personal and professional shortcomings.

However, opinion pollster John Zogby issued a warning at the Washington Foreign Press Center as the clock ticked down.

Zogby: "Among the 40 million who have turned out so far, we have a sense that 18- to 29-year-olds have been about 5%. That is not a good sign for Democrats." — David Smith (@SmithInAmerica) November 6, 2018

—With AP

7:50am

Drama on voting day: recap

If you’re just joining us, here’s what you’ve missed overnight.

— A massive turnout of almost 40 million so far, set to be the largest in a midterm election in 50 years, has sparked chaos, with people leaving polling places because of queues that were as long as three hours in Georgia. Storms knocked out power in Tennessee, with voters forced to stand outside with paper ballots, while a man brought a gun to a Florida voting station.

— Democrats are feeling confident about winning the 23 seats the party needs to seize control of the House of Representatives and put the brakes on Donald Trump, with a former aide to Hillary Clinton warning the President the nation was ready to “render judgement”.

— Google revealed the top trending search term on Tuesday morning was “Donde votar”, meaning “where to vote” in Spanish. Since Hispanics favour the Democrats, this is seriously worrying news for the President.

— The polls are on the Democrats’ side, but insiders have predicted “complete meltdown” if the “unthinkable” happens and Mr Trump again shocks the US.

— Celebrities including Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Jessica Biel, Drew Barrymore, Jimmy Kimmel and Maggie Gyllenhaal have hit the polls, posting social media selfies with “I voted” stickers and calling on fans to do the same.

I'm not playing with these hoes today! pic.twitter.com/YDAQ04EQUt — JC Lee (@jclee1230) November 6, 2018

Volunteers pass out popcorn to those waiting in long lines in Georgia in Election Day. @guardian pic.twitter.com/XKiaeBNNak — Khushbu Shah (@KhushbuOShea) November 6, 2018

7:20am

Former Hillary aide’s stark warning to Trump

Hillary Clinton’s former aide Philippe Reines has issued a stark warning to Donald Trump, telling him “the nation will render judgement” at the polls today.

“It’s not you vs Obama” he tweeted. “It’s not you vs Hillary. It’s you and your accidental two years vs America’s first 240 years.

“It’s the first time since Nov 8 2016 the entire nation will render judgement on you. You’re f***ed.”

It seems Democrats are feeling optimistic again. Congressman Ben Ray Lujan, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told reporters in Washington: “I am confident the Democrats will win the majority of the US House of Representatives.”

Meanwhile, voters are placing their “I Voted” stickers on the grave of Susan B. Anthony, a leading voice fro women’s suffrage, who illegally voted in the presidential election in November 5, 1872.

Nora Ray puts her mother’s sticker on Susan B. Anthony ‘s grave pic.twitter.com/Jv5Yp8dtvS — Tina MacIntyre-Yee (@tyee23) November 6, 2018

The first people arrive at 7:05am here at Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, NY to place their “I Voted” stickers at the grave of Susan B. Anthony. It was November 5, 1872 when Anthony illegally voted in the presidential election, resulting in her arrest. #ElectionDay @News_8 pic.twitter.com/4yklblxbqY — John Kucko (@john_kucko) November 6, 2018

7:00am

What’s at stake in these elections

There is a lot up for grabs in the US mid-term elections on November 6, including races that can alter the balance of power in the legislative chambers of the federal government, potentially making life more difficult for President Donald Trump.

— The House of Representatives: all 435 seats. This lower chamber is currently held by Trump’s centre-right Republican Party but is expected to flip to control of the opposition Democrats. If they take the majority in the House, Democrats could start impeachment proceedings against the president as it is that chamber that holds the power to do so. Moreover, if the opposition controls this chamber the Republicans will struggle to push through legislation, whether on tax reform, healthcare or immigration.

— The Senate: 35 seats out of 100 are being contested in this election. Republicans have a slim majority now, which, for example, allowed them to confirm Trump’s two nominees to the Supreme Court. Democrats are anxious to wrest control in this upper chamber, but polls are sceptical the opposition can pull it off. 538, a website tracking political polls, estimates the Republican will hold the Senate.

— Governor races: 36 seats. While not typically followed by foreign observers, the governors and the state legislative races are critical, not only because each of the 50 states can set a range of local laws — such as gay marriage, gun control or marijuana rules — but because they draw up the districting which directly effect the House races. The Republicans are expected to continue to hold a majority of states, even as Democrats will be the governors of states that together make up a majority of the national population.

— AAP

6:40am

Two words to terrify Trump

They are two words that will terrify Donald Trump — Google shared the news that “donde votar,” meaning “where to vote” in Spanish, was the top trending search in the US on Tuesday morning.

In fact, three of the top five trending search topics in the US right now are for the #midterms:



Polling place: +350%

Voting: +300%

Election day: +300% — GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) November 6, 2018

Since voting isn’t compulsory in the US, a big part of how well a party fares is whether they can persuade their core demographic to head to the polls.

For the Democrats, that means encouraging Latino and African American voters to turn out.

Hispanics have the power to change everything — Texas is 40 per cent Hispanic, for example. But they typically have a low turnout in US elections.

Mrs Clinton shared a post from Voto Latino offering free Lyft ride shares in selected locations. Lyft, Uber and city bike companies are all offering promotions today.

Need a ride to the polls this #ElectionDay ?! 🚙



We've partnered with @lyft and @JohnnieWalkerUS to give out FREE rides in selected locations! Tweet the number below and catch a ride! pic.twitter.com/xQMcMrXwH0 — Voto Latino (@votolatino) November 6, 2018

Three of the five top trending searches on Google were election related — polling place, voting and election day.

But some are concerned about voter suppression — rules that make it difficult for people to vote — keeping some groups away from the polls.

Here’s the Dodge City, Kansas, polling location that has caused so much consternation after officials moved it to an expo center outside city limits.



Thing that struck me: The city is 59% Hispanic, but almost all the voters I see here now are not. pic.twitter.com/fpeuWTRkOP — Matt Pearce 🦅 (@mattdpearce) November 6, 2018

6:25am

Migrant caravan at centre of vote

As the US votes, around 4500 Central American migrants walking toward the Mexican border have become key players — but many are not even aware the elections are happening.

In Mexico City, members of the “caravan” Donald Trump has characterised as packed with “dangerous criminals” camped out, nursing colds and mangled feet from weeks of walking.

The President has deployed 5000 troops to secure the US-Mexican border, using the caravan as a major talking point at his rallies, but the migrants are still 1000 kilometres away.

Jairo Velazquez, a 24-year-old Honduran migrant, told reporters he was unaware of the elections. “We don’t have access to a lot of information on the road. I didn’t even know,” he said.

Many in the caravan were more concerned with finding a phone or internet cafe to talk with their families back in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, and others wanted to find something more to eat than the small portion of eggs and beans served by the Mexican authorities running the improvised shelter.

Others, however, had messages for the US President on voting day. “Donald Trump is not the master of the Earth. The only master of the Earth is God,” said Uziel Cantillano, 31.

Mr Trump “needs to soften his heart and open the border, because all these people just want to work.”

— AFP

6:00am

Guns, queues and broken machines at the polls

Turnout was so huge on Tuesday morning at one packed precinct on Manhattan’s Upper West Side that the line to scan ballots stretched around a junior high school gym.

Poll workers told voters that two of the roughly half-dozen scanners were malfunctioning.

In Brooklyn, voters arriving at two separate polling stations discovered that most scanners had broken down.

Veronica Vela said half of the scanners were broken at one of the sites in Crown Heights and waited two hours to vote. By that time, none of the machines was working.

Caitlin, voting in Williamsburg, says the line is longer than she’s ever seen before, and she’s feeling anxious about the result #ElectionDay #MidtermElections2018 #Midterms #VoteToday pic.twitter.com/cq59Qcb6qY — Emma Reynolds (@emmareyn) November 6, 2018

Sherry Haddock, a 60yo stylist voting at a polling place near Union Square in Manhattan, waited for an hour to vote. She’s hoping she won’t get a surprise like 2016 #ElectionDay #VoteToday #MidtermElections2018 #Midterms2018 pic.twitter.com/wuQbwlmSUY — Emma Reynolds (@emmareyn) November 6, 2018

Ms Vela said she was forced to drop her ballot in an “emergency ballot box.”

Voters in an Atlanta neighbourhood arrived at a library that’s been their polling site for years to find a car with two signs on its windshield that said in indelible markers, “NOT A VOTING LOCATION.”

A Florida polling place was put on lockdown for about 40 minutes after a man with a gun was reported in a nearby parking lot.

Palm Bay Police Lt. Steve Bland said passers-by getting into their cars on Tuesday saw the man sitting in his vehicle with a gun on his lap. Mr Bland said the man was in mid-eighties, his gun was not loaded and he did not make any threats.

Mr Bland said the lockdown was a precaution, and the man was taken for a mental health evaluation but he was not arrested.

Storms have caused power outages, forcing voters in Tennessee to use paper ballots instead of electronic machines, with some having to vote outside darkened polling places with no lights.

— AP

5:40am

Turnout set to be highest in 50 years

Voter turnout in national elections, normally lower when the White House is not at stake, could be the highest for a midterm election in 50 years, experts predict.

About 40 million early votes are thought to have been cast, said Michael McDonald, a professor at the University of Florida who tracks the figures. In the last congressional elections of this kind, in 2014, there were just 27.5 million early votes.

At least 64 House of Representatives races remain competitive, according to a Reuters analysis, and Senate control was expected to come down to a half dozen close contests in Arizona, Nevada, Missouri, North Dakota, Indiana and Florida.

“I have worked at this poll the last three elections and this is the biggest turnout ever,” said Bev Heidgerken, 67, a volunteer at a polling place in Davenport, Iowa.

“We usually hope for 200 voters for the entire day but by nine o’clock we already have had 69.”

— Reuters

5:20am

Trump wishes he had taken softer tone

Donald Trump has posted a few more tweets after a quiet election day morning, but he’s keeping it tame.

As he held rallies in three states on Monday, he told Sinclair Broadcasting he wished he had taken a softer tone in the past. “I’d love to get along and I think after the election a lot of things can happen,” said Mr Trump.

“But right now they’re in their mode and we’re in our mode.”

Bob Hugin, successful all of his life, would be a Great Senator from New Jersey. He has my complete and total Endorsement! Get out and Vote for Bob. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2018

And celebrities — who tend to be Democrat — continue to urge people to get out and vote. I’ve seen a few sarcastic comments about this on social media, however. I wonder how many minds they are able to change.

We’ve seen a huge uptick in stars getting involved in politics over the last few years, from the #MeToo movement to Oprah Winfrey hitting the campaign trail in Georgia to support Democratic candidate for governor Stacey Abrams.

Taylor Swift has gone from silence to sharing long monologues about the importance of voting on her Instagram stories.

The family that votes together... https://t.co/GFeOEswWsV — Maggie Gyllenhaal (@mgyllenhaal) November 6, 2018

Today is #ElectionDay and we have the chance to prove that “we the people” is more powerful than “us vs. them.”#IVoted. Did you? — Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) November 6, 2018

5:00am

Trump unusually tame on Twitter

Donald Trump has finally tweeted, but it’s an unusually brief statement from the President, who simply shared a link to where to vote.

4:30am

Midterms ‘referendum on healthcare'

Despite the driving rain and fierce winds sweeping the east coast of the US, voters are determined to get out the vote.

US markets cautiously advanced on Tuesday morning, with all eyes on the midterm elections and what they will mean for Washington — and the market, Dow Jones reports.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said the midterm elections were a referendum on Republican efforts to scrap “Obamacare”.

The California Democrat told a Tuesday morning press conference that the election was “about health care.” Ms Pelosi credited Democratic politicians and activists across the country with helping to fend off attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act following 2016 election results that left Republicans in control of Congress and the White House.

She said that after 2016 Democrats “didn’t agonise, we organised“, forecasting Democratic victories across the country, but with a small overall margin of victory. She predicted that as few as 25,000 votes nationwide could swing the results.

— With wires

4:15am

Obama: ‘Change the course of this country’

Barack Obama has tweeted: “Today is the day. Today, it’s your turn to raise your voice to change the course of this country for the better. So make it count.”

Yesterday, he shared a poignant thread about voting, saying: “Tomorrow’s elections might be the most important of our lifetimes.

“When we’ve been at such crossroads before, Americans have made the right choice. Not because we sat back and waited for history to happen — but because we marched, and mobilized, and voted. We made history happen.”

Hillary Clinton tweeted: “For the past two years, we’ve watched this administration attack and undermine our democratic institutions and values. Today, we say enough.”

Former Vice President Joe Biden added: “This election is bigger than politics. Today we have a chance to reclaim our American ideals and take this country back.”

He told reporters: “I’ll be dumbfounded if we lose the House. Dumbfounded. And I’ll surprised if we don’t win by a comfortable margin. I still think there’s a shot of us winning the Senate.”

For the past two years, we've watched this administration attack and undermine our democratic institutions and values. Today, we say enough. — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 6, 2018

Today is the day. Today, it’s your turn to raise your voice to change the course of this country for the better. So make it count. Get out there and vote. Go to https://t.co/NKXRGNgbZX or call 833-336-VOTE to confirm where you can vote and check voting hours. pic.twitter.com/6xdMbKhwkr — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 6, 2018

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he hopes the outcome of the election will ease domestic tensions in the US, lamenting that Russian-American ties have become “hostage to internal political squabbles in America.”

Donald Trump has uncharacteristically not yet tweeted today, but said at a Cleveland rally yesterday: “If the radical Democrats take power they will take a wrecking ball to our economy and our future.

“The Democrat agenda is a socialist nightmare.”

Democrats, whose relevance in the Trump era depended on winning at least one chamber of Congress, were laser-focused on health care as they predicted victories that would break up the GOP’s monopoly in Washington and state governments.

“They’ve had two years to find out what it’s like to have an unhinged person in the White House,” said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who leads the Democratic Governors Association.

— With AP

4:00am

Voters leaving jam-packed polls

Some of the biggest problems at the polls are in Georgia, a state with a hotly contested gubernatorial election. Voters reported waiting up to three hours to vote.

At a polling place in Snellville, Georgia, more than 100 people took turns sitting in children’s chairs and on the floor as they waited in line for hours. Voter Ontaria Woods said about two dozen people who had come to vote left because of the lines.

At a poll site in Atlanta, voters waited in the rain in long lines that stretched around the building.

Hannah Ackermann said officials at the polling site offered various explanations for the delay, including blaming workers who didn’t show up and overloaded machines.

— AP

3:45am

Celebrities tell fans to vote

Celebrities have flocked to the polls, with Drew Barrymore, Olivia Wilde and Nicole Richie all posting photos of themselves after voting, encouraging others to do the same.

Late night TV host Seth Meyers tweeted a photo of himself voting with his family, while Chelsea Clinton shared a guide to states where voters can still register.

Many voted or spoke out earlier, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt filming a video asking Americans to go beyond just voting. “This election might be the most consequential of our lifetime,” tweeted DiCaprio.

Blake Lively dubbed husband Ryan Reynolds “Sexiest Voter Alive”, while Taylor Swift, who was previously criticised for her silence on politics, begged her fans: “Please don’t sit this one out.”

If you live in one of these states, you can still register AND vote today! #ElectionDay https://t.co/MCkPjvwIQ2 — Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) November 6, 2018

Jake Gyllenhaal on Sunday shared a photo of himself in a T-shirt emblazoned with the name Beto O’Rouke, who is running against Ted Cruz in Texas. Endorsing a number of Democrats, he wrote: “Vote for change, for compassion, for civility, for wisdom.

“Vote because you can, because we fight for rights by exercising them.”

Actress America Ferrera celebrated “phenomenal Latinas” and Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus posted an emotional video, with the caption: “For years Donald Trump has been spreading fear, encouraging racism and inciting violence. On Nov.6 the hatred ends.”

This election might be the most consequential of our lifetime. I urge you all to go to the polls and make your voice heard. Between now and election day, 11/6, visit https://t.co/sYbA4IJayU to get involved. https://t.co/54DtM4tAiz — Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) November 2, 2018

Election Day is a few hours away!! I want you to post a picture of yourself after you’ve voted, tagging me and using #VoteWithUs. I’ll be reposting as many of you as I can in my IG story until the polls close! WE got this!!! 💥💥💥💜💜💜 #Vote pic.twitter.com/mXGiJkrLYX — Alicia Keys (@aliciakeys) November 6, 2018

For years Donald Trump has been spreading fear, encouraging racism and inciting violence. On Nov.6 the hatred ends. VOTE!!!#MultiplyYourVote pic.twitter.com/P3tiVE72mN — Julia Louis-Dreyfus (@OfficialJLD) November 4, 2018

3:20am

New York crowds nervous about results

It’s packed at the polls, with lines stretching down the streets and voters saying the number of people out at the polls is twice what they’ve seen before, even at presidential elections.

Sherry Haddock, a 60-year-old fashion stylist at the NYU polling place near Union Square in Manhattan, told news.com.au she waited an hour to vote. “It’s very busy,” she said. “We need change.

“I’m trying to be positive but the last election I was very positive it would go my way and I was quite surprised.”

At Public School 316 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, people were reportedly leaving because there was a two-hour wait, with some machines broken.

The crowds could get even worse after work, with polls closing by 9pm in New York City. It’s even earlier in other parts of the US.

People are leaving because it’s a 2 hour wait at PS 316 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.



“Some machines are broken and it’s extremely crowded.” #ElectionDay @WNYC pic.twitter.com/fUCsEOq1Wc — Jennifer Hsu (@jennhsu) November 6, 2018

#ElectionDay in #EagleRock: Long lines to vote this morning. Far longer than in any of last year’s municipal and special elections. pic.twitter.com/HbRC9HNG2X — Aaron Mendelson (@a_mendelson) November 6, 2018