Election Day is here. Voters nationwide will decide control of the U.S. House and Senate. Democrats must flip four seats in the Senate and three seats in the House to wrest control of the chambers from Republicans. Control of Congress would give Democrats a way to push back against President Donald Trump’s agenda during the final two years of his term. The battle for control is playing out mostly in states and districts Trump previously won by wide margins.
All eyes are on Senate contests in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas, while House battlegrounds are scattered across the country.
Here’s the latest:
Jeffries Says Democrats ‘on the Brink’ of Taking Back the House
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries popped by to rally and thank volunteers at a phone bank in Washington for battleground House candidates.
“We’re on the brink of a dramatic change in the direction in the country,” Jeffries said.
“We’re on the brink of Democrats taking back control of the House of Representatives.”
He said a Democratic win would be a victory for Americans.
“We’re going to deliver a Congress that actually puts the American people first,” he said.
Democrats are dialing voters in an election evening push for the House
House Democrats have opened a phone bank in Washington with dozens of volunteers calling voters in key House races across the country before polls close.
They’re encouraging voters to cast ballots as Democrats work to wrest control of the House from Republicans.
Ballot Shortages Cause Delays at Some Chicago Voting Sites
Some Chicago polling places ran out of paper ballots.
Chicago Board of Elections spokesperson Julie Metea said more ballots would be printed and that everyone in line by the time polls close would be able to vote—though it might be a long wait for an electronic voting machine. Voters could also go to one of the city’s universal voting centers.
In the Logan Square neighborhood, Jenna Roggensack, 37, said poll workers told her in the morning to return later. Because she’s a teacher who had the day off, that was possible—if inconvenient. When she returned, she said she had to wait an hour and a half, though ultimately did get to vote.
Later in the afternoon, though, a poll worker emerged and told those waiting outside that they had run out of paper ballots again.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
