[U.S. Midterm Elections] Voting Begins... Trump Administration Deploys Largest-Ever Election-Monitoring Force

Voting Begins in Stages From 6 a.m. Eastern Time
Polls Close at 6 p.m.... Results in Close Races May Take Time
Justice Department Monitoring Could Put Pressure on Voters

Voting in the midterm elections, which will determine the balance of power in the U.S. Congress, began across the United States on Nov. 3 (local time). Tensions were high, with The Trump Administration deploying the largest election-monitoring force in history and some states even activating the National Guard. In some areas, including New York, voting was disrupted by malfunctioning voting machines and severe weather.

Arrows pointing to a polling place are displayed in various languages near Wall Street in Manhattan, New York. New York, U.S. = Correspondent Hwang Yunju.

Voting began first in Vermont at 5 a.m. Eastern Time. Polling places then opened in succession across the United States, including in eastern states such as New York, New Jersey and Virginia.

Voting will end first in parts of Indiana and Kentucky at 6 p.m. Eastern Time. Ballots will then be counted according to each state's closing time. The outcomes in key battlegrounds are expected to begin taking shape that night, but final results in closely contested races could take considerable time.

Tensions are rising in this election as The Trump Administration undertakes unprecedented election monitoring. The U.S. Department of Justice announced in a statement on Nov. 3 that it would deploy about 1,000 election monitors and observers across all 50 states. This is the first time the department has conducted election-monitoring activities in all 50 states.

The Justice Department said, "Through the largest election-monitoring effort in history, we will ensure the fairness of the election and protect citizens' right to vote."

President Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of election fraud ahead of the election, prompting some Democrats to express concern about the federal government's expanding role in elections. There are also concerns that the Justice Department's extensive monitoring could put pressure on voters.

Some states have activated the National Guard to ensure election security. In Washington state, led by Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson, about 100 National Guard members have been deployed across seven counties to protect ballot boxes and support election security operations.

Disruptions caused by malfunctioning voting machines and severe weather were also reported in some areas on Election Day. In Westchester County, New York, voting machines across the county failed to recognize ballots. Election officials instructed voters to continue voting, placed their ballots in separate secure envelopes and arranged for them to be counted later.

Some parts of Westchester County are in New York's 17th Congressional District, where Republican Rep. Mike Lawler is facing Democratic candidate Kate Conley. The district is one of the key battlegrounds that will determine whether Democrats can retake the House majority.

A computer system outage in Broward County, Florida, also temporarily delayed voting. Local election officials said voting resumed as normal after the system problem was resolved.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.