Voters choose all 435 House seats Tuesday

Burlington residents join voters across the country on Tuesday to select all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The election also includes 35 Senate seats and hundreds of local races. The outcome will decide which party controls Congress. This decision shapes President Donald Trump’s ability to advance his agenda for the next two years.

Elections officials report that nearly 60 million Americans voted before Election Day. These voters used early in-person voting or mail ballots. This number comes from a pool of roughly 250 million eligible voters, according to the Pew Research Center. Early totals do not guarantee a specific party victory. Party registration data often does not match the candidates voters actually support, even in states that provide this information.

The Justice Department is deploying approximately 1,000 election monitors and observers. These personnel will be stationed in all 50 states. This marks the first time the department’s monitoring effort reaches every state. The monitors will check compliance with federal voting rights laws. Their duties include protecting against voter intimidation and ensuring access for voters with disabilities.

The final result may not be known until after polls close. Close contests and the time required to count outstanding ballots could leave control of Congress unsettled beyond election night.