First polls close in US midterm elections as control of Congress hangs in the balance

After a full day of voting in the US midterm elections, the first polling places have begun to close. Control of the US Congress will be decided in this election, which will affect the remainder of President Donald Trump's term.

Most polling places in Indiana and Kentucky have closed. As parts of both states are also in the Central time zone, some polling places there will remain open until 7pm Eastern Time.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the Senate's 100 seats are being voted on in this election. Which party will control Congress will become known from results coming in throughout Tuesday evening.

Democrats campaigned on promises to combat the country's rising cost of living and end the US-Israel war on Iran. They are eyeing a return to power in the House of Representatives. The party is also optimistic it could recapture control of the Senate from Republicans when all ballots are counted.

The first clues could come from Kentucky's competitive sixth congressional district, where polls closed at 6pm Eastern Time. This conservative district includes the state's second-largest city, Lexington. There, Democrats have invested heavily in the campaign of US Navy veteran Zach Dembo, who is running against Trump-backed physician and former state lawmaker Ralph Alvarado. If Republicans hold the seat, it could signal how the party may perform in other races across the country.

Record turnout has been reported in several key states. Americans have already voted early in record numbers, and this year's turnout is said to be significantly outstripping the totals from the 2022 midterm elections.

On the same day, several states are also voting on changing how their elections are run. Several states including Alaska, Arizona, California and Nevada are voting on measures including voter identification. Other states, Colorado, Maryland and Missouri, are deciding on redistricting proposals.

Independent voter Rebecca Connors, 49, who voted in Rochester, New Hampshire, said she voted 'very Democratic' this time. She said she voted blue to send a message of disapproval to Donald Trump, and that the cost of living was one of the reasons for her vote. She said she wants to see gas prices come down below $3.50.

Results from all of the day's races will continue to come in throughout Tuesday evening. But results for some seats may not be known until Wednesday or later, depending on more states finishing voting and officials starting to release their vote counts.