Voting has commenced in the U.S. Midterm election of November 3 for Americans to determine which party controls Congress in the final two years of Donald Trump’s presidency.

In Vermont, polling stations opened at 05:00 ET (10:00 GMT). Polling stations opened across the East Coast an hour later on Tuesday. 

Polling also ongoing in Iowa, Alabama, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, Arizona, Mississippi and North Dakota for voters to cast their votes.

Polling stations across Florida were relocated due to flooding, following Governor Ron DeSantis’s executive order declaring a state of emergency in multiple counties. The executive order also allows election supervisors to change polling stations from the original sites to safer spaces for voters.

The U.S. midterm election campaign ended on Monday, setting the stage for voters to decide which party will control Congress for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s administration.

Mr Trump’s Republican Party currently controls Congress, with a majority in both chambers. However, in the November 3 midterm elections, which areusually considered a referendum on the incumbent administration, about 210 million registered voters will determine whether Republicans will retain control of Congress or Democrats will take over.

There are 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the Senate’s 100 seats being contested. Thirty-six states will also elect governors.

Special elections will be held in Florida and Ohio to fill the seats vacated by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance.

Democrats need to gain four seats in the Senate to take control. A 50-50 split in the Senate would leave Republicans in control because Vance can cast tie-breaking votes.

Of the 35 Senate seats being contested, Republicans currently hold 22, while Democrats hold 13. Overall, Republicans have 53 senators, while Democrats have 45, including two independents, bringing the Democratic bloc to 47 seats.

To gain control of the Senate, Democrats need to win four additional seats to reach 51, while Republicans would retain control with 50 seats because Vice President Vance can break a tie.

In the House of Representatives, Republicans have 218 seats, Democrats have 214, one seat is held by an independent and two seats are vacant. Democrats will need to win five additional seats to flip control of the lower chamber.