Most US election seats are reliably won by one party, so control of Congress comes down to a few competitive "battleground" seats. Experts track these to predict overall results; if a party wins seats they were expected to lose, it often signals a successful night. In the charts below, blue shapes on the right signal a good night for the Democrats, and red shapes on the left signal that the Republicans have done well.
Before the election, the Cook Report classified six Senate races as genuine "toss-ups". The Democrats need to win at least three of these, alongside the other races they are expected to win. Democrats are now favoured in enough House seats to take the chamber without winning any of the 18 seats the Cook Political Report classes as “toss-ups”.
If they win every seat they are expected to win, they will comfortably win a majority. The balance of power now turns on whether Democrats hold the 18 seats rated “lean Democratic”. Republicans, favoured in 195 seats, would need to sweep all 18 toss-ups and flip five Democratic-leaning seats to win.
Republicans are defending a majority in the 435-member House. Democrats hold 212 House seats and need 218 to win control. Members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms and face re-election every even year.
Thirty-three of the 100 members of the upper chamber are being elected regularly this year, along with two other special elections. Republicans had the Senate majority before the election. Senators serve six-year terms.
Gubernatorial elections are taking place in 36 states, as well as three territories. Republicans and Democrats held 18 of these state governorships each before the election. Three incumbent governors are retiring.
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