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| US mid-term elections 2018: Americans vote in 'poll of a lifetime' | US mid-term elections 2018: Americans vote in 'poll of a lifetime' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Americans are voting in nationwide elections that are being seen as a referendum on Donald Trump's presidency. | Americans are voting in nationwide elections that are being seen as a referendum on Donald Trump's presidency. |
| Republicans and Democrats are battling for control of the two houses of Congress, which make America's laws and as such impact hugely on public life. | Republicans and Democrats are battling for control of the two houses of Congress, which make America's laws and as such impact hugely on public life. |
| Governor posts and seats in state legislatures are also up for grabs. | Governor posts and seats in state legislatures are also up for grabs. |
| The first polls will close on the East Coast at 18:00 EST (23:00 GMT), and early results should follow soon after. | |
| The mid-term elections come halfway through Mr Trump's four years in office and follow a divisive campaign. | The mid-term elections come halfway through Mr Trump's four years in office and follow a divisive campaign. |
| All 50 states and Washington DC are holding elections, and experts say voter turnout could be the highest for a mid-term election in 50 years. | All 50 states and Washington DC are holding elections, and experts say voter turnout could be the highest for a mid-term election in 50 years. |
| Mr Trump attended three rallies on the final day of campaigning on Monday, telling his supporters: "Everything we have achieved is at stake tomorrow." | Mr Trump attended three rallies on the final day of campaigning on Monday, telling his supporters: "Everything we have achieved is at stake tomorrow." |
| Barack Obama - on the campaign trail for the Democratic party - said "the character of our country is on the ballot". | Barack Obama - on the campaign trail for the Democratic party - said "the character of our country is on the ballot". |
| What is at stake? | What is at stake? |
| Americans are voting for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of 100 seats in the Senate - the two bodies that make up Congress. Governors are also being chosen in 36 out of 50 states. | Americans are voting for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of 100 seats in the Senate - the two bodies that make up Congress. Governors are also being chosen in 36 out of 50 states. |
| If Republicans maintain their hold on both the Senate and the House of Representatives, they could help President Trump press on with his agenda. | If Republicans maintain their hold on both the Senate and the House of Representatives, they could help President Trump press on with his agenda. |
| But if the Democrats wrest control of one or both chambers, they could stymie or even reverse Mr Trump's plans. | But if the Democrats wrest control of one or both chambers, they could stymie or even reverse Mr Trump's plans. |
| Pollsters suggest Democrats may win the 23 seats they need to take over the House of Representatives, and possibly 15 or so extra seats. | Pollsters suggest Democrats may win the 23 seats they need to take over the House of Representatives, and possibly 15 or so extra seats. |
| In the Senate, the Democrats are expected to fall short: They would need to keep all their seats and claim two Republican ones to win control. | In the Senate, the Democrats are expected to fall short: They would need to keep all their seats and claim two Republican ones to win control. |
| Asked on Monday how he would handle a lower chamber controlled by his political opponents, the president appeared to concede it was a risk. | Asked on Monday how he would handle a lower chamber controlled by his political opponents, the president appeared to concede it was a risk. |
| "We'll just have to work a little bit differently," he told reporters. | "We'll just have to work a little bit differently," he told reporters. |
| Trump's invincible, but for how much longer? | Trump's invincible, but for how much longer? |
| Analysis by Jon Sopel, BBC North America Editor | Analysis by Jon Sopel, BBC North America Editor |
| Presidents have always commanded attention. Theodore Roosevelt called the White House his "bully pulpit" - the place from which he could demand attention and advance his agenda. | Presidents have always commanded attention. Theodore Roosevelt called the White House his "bully pulpit" - the place from which he could demand attention and advance his agenda. |
| But Donald Trump has his own bully pulpit, 55 million Twitter followers and a penchant for saying the outrageous. | But Donald Trump has his own bully pulpit, 55 million Twitter followers and a penchant for saying the outrageous. |
| You feel that everything in American life is a reaction to what Donald Trump has said: his followers adoring it, his opponents deploring it and the candidates actually on the ballot trying to get a word in edgeways. | You feel that everything in American life is a reaction to what Donald Trump has said: his followers adoring it, his opponents deploring it and the candidates actually on the ballot trying to get a word in edgeways. |
| And this has generated real excitement in these elections - both for and against him. | And this has generated real excitement in these elections - both for and against him. |
| Read the rest of Jon's analysis here. | Read the rest of Jon's analysis here. |
| What happens on election day? | What happens on election day? |
| After months of campaigning, speculation, and billions of dollars spent on adverts, leaflets and bumper stickers, voters finally have their say. | After months of campaigning, speculation, and billions of dollars spent on adverts, leaflets and bumper stickers, voters finally have their say. |
| Democratic candidates for the House of Representatives have raised $649m (£500m) from individual donors, more than double the $312m tally for the Republicans. | Democratic candidates for the House of Representatives have raised $649m (£500m) from individual donors, more than double the $312m tally for the Republicans. |
| Democrats are hoping to achieve a "mid-term wave" - a sweeping victory that changes the shape of the political map in the US. | Democrats are hoping to achieve a "mid-term wave" - a sweeping victory that changes the shape of the political map in the US. |
| What you need to know about mid-terms: | What you need to know about mid-terms: |
| Around 40 million people have cast early ballots according to the US Elections Project, a University of Florida-based information source. That figure in 2014 was just 27.5 million. | Around 40 million people have cast early ballots according to the US Elections Project, a University of Florida-based information source. That figure in 2014 was just 27.5 million. |
| In Texas, early voting has exceeded the entire turnout in 2014. | In Texas, early voting has exceeded the entire turnout in 2014. |
| Some states showed signs of being overwhelmed by the voter influx, however. | Some states showed signs of being overwhelmed by the voter influx, however. |
| The Associated Press reported a wave of electronic voting machine failures and congested polling stations after voting opened - including in Georgia, Atlanta, Arizona, and New York. | The Associated Press reported a wave of electronic voting machine failures and congested polling stations after voting opened - including in Georgia, Atlanta, Arizona, and New York. |
| A Homeland Security official said the department had received "sparse" reports of tech failure, but that there seemed to have been no significant impact on people's ability to vote. | A Homeland Security official said the department had received "sparse" reports of tech failure, but that there seemed to have been no significant impact on people's ability to vote. |
| Five races to watch | Five races to watch |
| Kentucky's 6th district | Kentucky's 6th district |
| The first polls close at 18:00 EST (23:00 GMT) in Kentucky, and the state could provide some early indications of where the night is heading. | The first polls close at 18:00 EST (23:00 GMT) in Kentucky, and the state could provide some early indications of where the night is heading. |
| The race for the 6th district is between third-term Republican Rep Andy Barr and the Democrats' retired Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath. | The race for the 6th district is between third-term Republican Rep Andy Barr and the Democrats' retired Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath. |
| Mr Trump won there comfortably two years ago, so a Democrat victory would be a worrying sign for Republicans. | Mr Trump won there comfortably two years ago, so a Democrat victory would be a worrying sign for Republicans. |
| Florida's governorship | Florida's governorship |
| A left-wing progressive, Andrew Gillum, and a Trumpist conservative, Ron DeSantis, are battling to become Florida's governor. | A left-wing progressive, Andrew Gillum, and a Trumpist conservative, Ron DeSantis, are battling to become Florida's governor. |
| It's a tight race in a state that is usually evenly divided, so the result will also be looked at as a sign of things to come. | It's a tight race in a state that is usually evenly divided, so the result will also be looked at as a sign of things to come. |
| The BBC's Anthony Zurcher witnessed the brutal, gloves-off run-up. | The BBC's Anthony Zurcher witnessed the brutal, gloves-off run-up. |
| Georgia's governorship | Georgia's governorship |
| Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams will become the first female African-American governor in the US if she wins. | Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams will become the first female African-American governor in the US if she wins. |
| Republican opponent Brian Kemp's office has been accused of voter suppression, one of the hot-button issues this year. | Republican opponent Brian Kemp's office has been accused of voter suppression, one of the hot-button issues this year. |
| The contest has been divisive, and you can read more about how it developed here. | The contest has been divisive, and you can read more about how it developed here. |
| To add to poll-day tensions, malfunctioning voting machines led to longer queues and a return to paper ballots in some parts of the state. | To add to poll-day tensions, malfunctioning voting machines led to longer queues and a return to paper ballots in some parts of the state. |
| Texas Senate | Texas Senate |
| This contest has received national media attention, with high-profile Republican Ted Cruz being closely challenged by Democrat Beto O'Rourke. | This contest has received national media attention, with high-profile Republican Ted Cruz being closely challenged by Democrat Beto O'Rourke. |
| Mr O'Rourke is viewed as a rising star in the party and, if he wins, would become the first Democratic senator in Texas for more than two decades. | Mr O'Rourke is viewed as a rising star in the party and, if he wins, would become the first Democratic senator in Texas for more than two decades. |
| Arizona Senate | Arizona Senate |
| This race is as close as they come. | This race is as close as they come. |
| Martha McSally, a two-term Republican representative from Arizona, is running against Democrat Kyrsten Sinema. | Martha McSally, a two-term Republican representative from Arizona, is running against Democrat Kyrsten Sinema. |
| Whoever wins will make history by becoming the first woman to represent the state in the Senate. | Whoever wins will make history by becoming the first woman to represent the state in the Senate. |
| What are the key issues? | What are the key issues? |
| During his final campaign rallies in Ohio, Indiana and Missouri, Mr Trump returned to his key campaign issues, insisting that Democrats would damage the economy and allow more illegal immigration. | During his final campaign rallies in Ohio, Indiana and Missouri, Mr Trump returned to his key campaign issues, insisting that Democrats would damage the economy and allow more illegal immigration. |
| Democratic candidates, meanwhile, have tended to avoid directly confronting the president, focusing instead on so-called "kitchen table" issues, such as healthcare and economic inequality. | Democratic candidates, meanwhile, have tended to avoid directly confronting the president, focusing instead on so-called "kitchen table" issues, such as healthcare and economic inequality. |
| The party hopes younger voters, suburban moderates and minorities will be drawn to the polls to react against the president's rhetoric. | The party hopes younger voters, suburban moderates and minorities will be drawn to the polls to react against the president's rhetoric. |
| Mr Trump has faced widespread criticism for his divisive language. | Mr Trump has faced widespread criticism for his divisive language. |
| On Monday, Facebook, NBC and even Mr Trump's favourite network, Fox News, announced they would stop broadcasting a 30-second ad paid for by his campaign, which featured an undocumented Mexican immigrant. | On Monday, Facebook, NBC and even Mr Trump's favourite network, Fox News, announced they would stop broadcasting a 30-second ad paid for by his campaign, which featured an undocumented Mexican immigrant. |
| In an interview with ABC on Monday, the president said he wished he had taken "a much softer tone" throughout his presidency. | In an interview with ABC on Monday, the president said he wished he had taken "a much softer tone" throughout his presidency. |
| "I feel, to a certain extent, I have no choice, but maybe I do, and maybe I could have been softer from that standpoint." | "I feel, to a certain extent, I have no choice, but maybe I do, and maybe I could have been softer from that standpoint." |