The timing of when Americans will learn which party controls Congress remains uncertain, despite clear stakes in Tuesday's election.
The Associated Press will call races in all 435 House districts and 35 Senate contests. Control of the House requires 218 seats. Republicans currently hold 219 seats, with two vacancies. Democrats need 51 Senate seats for control, while Republicans need 50 because Vice President JD Vance can cast a tiebreaking vote. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 Senate edge.
Ballot counting timelines vary significantly by state. During the 2022 midterms, the AP called Senate control four days after Election Day and House control eight days later. In 2024, the Senate was called the day after Election Day, but the House took eight days.
California, the nation's most populous state, consistently delays results. In 2022, half the state's votes were counted after Election Day due to mail ballots dropped off on voting day. Alaska and Maine, which have key Senate races this year, use ranked choice voting. Under that system, if no candidate reaches 50% in the first round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their ballots redistributed. This process can delay results substantially.
The AP does not make projections. It declares a winner only when no scenario allows trailing candidates to close the gap.