Midterms open amid Trump election disputes and court defeats

On November 3, Election Day opened after early voting drew millions of Americans, with turnout on pace to exceed the previous midterm election. Voting had proceeded with relatively few problems, though officials faced scattered equipment and weather issues as voters headed to the polls.

The elections will decide whether Republicans keep control of Congress during President Donald Trump’s second term. His administration pursued efforts involving alleged noncitizen voters and federal monitoring of polling places, while Democrats and voting-rights groups prepared their own monitoring effort. The administration also sought to prevent Alaska’s results from being officially confirmed should the Senate contest favor Democrats.

Courts had rejected several administration actions. The Supreme Court turned down a request to make California set aside thousands of ballots, and a federal judge ordered the administration to stop sending election officials lists of alleged noncitizen voters. The Supreme Court had also rejected a Trump effort to restrict mail voting through changes at the Postal Service. Research and state investigations indicate that noncitizen voting is extremely rare.

Heavy rain and flooding threatened access to polling places in parts of the Southwest, prompting location changes in the Navajo Nation and electronic voting in Utah’s San Juan County. Flooding also led to polling-place changes in eight Florida counties. In Westchester County, New York, a voting-machine issue meant some paper ballots were put in emergency bags for later counting; officials said ballots were secure and voting continued.

Legal disputes could continue through ballot counting and certification. Asked a week before the election whether he would accept the results, Trump said, “I will if they are honest.”

Courts Reject Trump’s Push to Expand Federal Election Control

On November 3, Americans began voting in midterms that will determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress, after early turnout approached a level not seen since the last midterms. The day opened against a record of presidential efforts to exert federal influence over elections run by states—and with courts rejecting key moves.

The Supreme Court refused to require California to set aside thousands of ballots, while a federal judge ordered the administration to stop sending officials lists of alleged noncitizen voters. The court had also rejected Trump’s attempt to limit mail voting through Postal Service changes. Research and state investigations show noncitizen voting is extremely rare, undercutting the administration’s voter-fraud rationale.

The administration had pursued a broad search for noncitizen voters, planned its largest-ever polling-place monitoring effort and, at Trump’s urging, sued over certification of Alaska’s results if the Senate race favored Democrats. Democrats and allied groups mounted an even larger monitoring effort. Officials and advocates also prepared for possible immigration agents at polling sites or federal seizure of voting machines; the administration said armed federal officials would not guard the polls.

Voting had been largely smooth, though floods threatened access in parts of the Southwest and Florida, and a machine issue in Westchester County led officials to secure some ballots for later counting. Election disputes could stretch into counting and certification. Trump, asked whether he would accept the result, said, “I will if they are honest.”

Election Day Tests Voters’ Trust Amid Legal Battles

On November 3, voters started casting ballots in midterms that will determine whether Republicans keep Congress, after early voting surged toward a level above the last midterm. The election arrives amid legal fights over federal authority, election monitoring and how states handle ballots—a test of confidence in a process already burdened by competing claims.

The Trump administration pursued searches for alleged noncitizen voters and planned its largest-ever effort to monitor polling places. At Trump’s urging, it also filed suit to prevent official approval of Alaska’s results if the Senate race favored Democrats. Democrats and allied groups organized a larger monitoring effort, while election officials prepared for concerns about immigration agents at polling places and federal officers seizing voting machines. The administration said armed federal officials would not guard the polls.

Courts rejected several administration efforts: the Supreme Court declined to require California to set aside thousands of ballots, and a federal judge ordered officials to stop receiving lists of alleged noncitizen voters from the administration. The Supreme Court had earlier rejected a bid to restrict mail voting through Postal Service changes. Research and state investigations indicate noncitizen voting is extremely rare.

Most voting had proceeded with few problems, but floods could impede access in several states, and a Westchester County machine issue required secure storage of some ballots for later counting. Legal battles may continue through certification. Trump said he would accept the results “if they are honest.”