Voters Decide House and Senate Control While Courts Tackle Religious Funding

Americans will cast ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in an election that will determine which party controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s second term. All 435 seats in the U.S. House and 35 seats in the U.S. Senate are on the ballot, alongside gubernatorial races in 36 states.

Republicans currently hold the majority in both chambers and seek to maintain that advantage. Democrats aim to flip both chambers to achieve full control. The outcome of this midterm election will set the legislative agenda for the remainder of the current administration's term.

Several state-level contests are currently considered too close to call. The latest polling indicates that Senate races in Texas, Michigan, and Alaska remain toss-ups as the election approaches. These states are among the most closely watched in the cycle.

While voters prepare for Election Day, the Supreme Court begins its November oral argument session on Nov. 2. The court has scheduled seven hours of arguments across five days, concluding on Nov. 10. One case, St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, is set for argument on Nov. 3.

That case examines whether excluding a Catholic preschool from Colorado’s universal preschool program constitutes religious discrimination. The justices will hear arguments on the matter the same day Americans vote for their congressional representatives.