Voting begins in US midterm elections, the most expensive in history

Voting began on Tuesday in the United States' midterm elections, which will determine which party controls both chambers of Congress.

Voters have been arriving at polling stations since early morning in states including New York, Georgia and South Carolina. Millions of voters had already cast early ballots before election day.

The election covers all seats in the House of Representatives and about one-third of Senate seats, while governors are also being elected in many states. Both chambers currently have a majority held by President Donald Trump's Republican Party.

According to the Silver Bulletin, which analyzes polls, Trump's approval rating, which stood above 50 percent at the start of his second term, has now dropped to nearly 38 percent. According to the Cook Political Report, about 18 House seats and about 6 Senate seats face tight contests. Inflation, cost of living, healthcare and immigration have emerged as key issues for voters.

According to OpenSecrets, a watchdog that tracks political spending, about 11.93 billion US dollars is expected to be spent on this election, making it the most expensive midterm election in American history. The same organization says this spending is nearly a third higher than in 2022.

Polling stations will begin closing progressively from the evening, US time.