Control of US Senate and House undecided as election results roll in

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - As US presidential election results continue to roll in, control of the Senate and House of Representatives remains uncertain, with tight races in both chambers shaping the future balance of power in Congress.

In the Senate, 34 seats are up for election. Senators are elected to six-year terms and one-third are elected every two years. Roughly four of the races are considered toss-ups, including contests in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, which are currently held by Democrats.

According to The Associated Press, Republicans have currently secured 48 seats and Democrats 39 in the Senate chamber.

In the 100-seat chamber, due to procedural rules, parties often need 60 rather than just 50 votes to pass legislation.

During Tuesday's race, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election, and as in the Senate, most forecasts have the chamber near-evenly split. A couple dozen competitive elections will determine whether Republicans or Democrats will control the House.

The Associated Press also reported that 170 Democrats have seats in the House chamber, while 161 have secured their seats.

At the state and local levels, voters will also decide on a range of initiatives and races, from school boards to state-level ballot measures that can hold the weight of law. A total of 11 governor’s races are also being contested.

As for the presidential elections, Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump has so far secured 214 Electoral votes while Democratic challenger and Vice President Kamala Harris has won 179.