Leo XIV has become the first pope to vote in a U.S. general election, casting a mail-in ballot in a contest that will decide America's future as the Trump era slowly comes to an end.

The nation's major political parties are at a crossroads. Win or lose Tuesday, the end of the 2026 midterms marks the beginning of a high-stakes fight over the direction of the Republican and Democratic parties as the Trump era nears its end.

The surge is especially pronounced in Texas, where voters are deciding closely watched Senate, House and governor's races. More than 6.3 million Texans had voted early as of Wednesday, compared with 4.2 million at the same point four years ago, a 50% increase.

Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola denied Thursday that she knew anything about an effort to put another candidate on the Alaska ballot with the same name as the Republican incumbent as the Justice Department escalated a criminal investigation with new grand jury subpoenas.

A federal judge rejected on Wednesday a Trump administration request to stop California from processing the ballots of up to 20,000 people over allegations they are likely noncitizens, warning it would "wreak havoc" on the midterm elections.

The AP will tabulate results for nearly 7,000 races, including national congressional contests, state legislative and gubernatorial races, as well as some local elections for mayor, city council and school board.

Alaska's governor is ordering an investigation into Democrat Mary Peltola's Senate campaign over reports that it recruited a spoiler candidate to dilute Republican votes. That's as President Trump repeated calls for Peltola's prosecution during a trip to another deep red state where his endorsed candidate is facing headwinds. Liz Landers reports.

Democrats are favored to take the House in November, but the size of their potential majority could hinge on a handful of competitive races. Four are in Pennsylvania, where President Trump and Republicans made significant gains in 2024. Now, Democrats are betting that the president's low approval ratings and frustration over high prices will shift the political landscape. Lisa Desjardins reports.

As candidates make a final push to win over voters ahead of Election Day, Lisa Desjardins takes a deep dive into the battle for the House of Representatives.

With Election Day around the corner, states have been working hard to prepare, with some adopting new congressional maps and voting rules on top of normal election security measures. PBS News' Liz Landers and Votebeat editorial director Jessica Huseman hosted a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" Q&A on Wednesday to address people's questions.

More Americans now disapprove of Trump's approach to immigration than approve of it, a striking turnaround that followed a nationwide crackdown.

Defense lawyers and Democrats say a blitz of headline-making actions and cases is no coincidence and reeks of politics — in both the timing and the targets.

Holding South Carolina is essential if Republicans have any hope of keeping their Senate majority.

Republican Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has ordered an investigation into the Democratic candidate running for the U.S. Senate in the state after revelations that her campaign appeared to be involved in recruiting another candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan.

President Trump headed to Ohio to rally voters in a race that could determine control of the Senate. That stop comes after dueling rallies in another key state offered a snapshot of the divisions shaping the midterm elections. Liz Landers reports.

The race for the Senate has moved from off-the-radar a year ago to a dramatic, hard-to-predict finish where Democrats stand a chance of retaking the chamber. The contest will come down to just over a dozen races across the country. Lisa Desjardins takes a look at the map and what might happen.

To discuss how the midterm races are shaping up in the final days, Amna Nawaz sat down with Democratic strategist Mo Elleithee and Republican strategist Doug Heye.

Nearly 40 million votes have already been cast for races that will determine not only who controls Congress, but also governors, mayors and city councils. For many years, PBS News has relied on the Associated Press to keep track of results, and we will again next Tuesday. Deema Zein takes a closer look at how the AP counts the vote.

President Donald Trump called for Mary Peltola to leave Alaska's Senate race and be prosecuted on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump is finishing the midterms with a cross-country blitz of campaign rallies that allow him to bask in applause when he's otherwise profoundly unpopular.