It is Election Day, and the makeup of the next Congress will soon begin to take shape.
Candidates around the country have been making their final cases to voters, and several states have already reported higher voter turnout than the midterms in 2022.
Election results will begin pouring in after polls close, roughly starting after polls close in the eastern states and stretching into the early hours of the morning on Wednesday, possibly beyond.
In the federal elections, the midterm results will determine which party controls Congress, and therefore how much President Donald Trump might be able to accomplish in his last two years in office. While checking the news as the votes are counted, here is a quick reminder of the numbers and what they mean
for the next Congress.
Who is winning the midterms? Check the numbers
In the U.S. House of Representatives, it takes 218 seats for a party to hold the majority. Currently, Republicans hold a very slim majority with 218 seats, whereas Democrats have 214 seats; there are two vacancies and one independent.
In the Senate, it takes 51 seats for a majority. A 50-50 split is also possible, but in that case the vice president casts the deciding vote. Currently, Republicans have the majority with 53 seats, Democrats have the minority with 45 seats and there are two independent senators who caucus with the Democrats.
What is a supermajority in Congress?
While a simple majority is needed to pass most votes, a supermajority is required for some specific functions, including overriding a presidential veto, proposing a constitutional amendment or voting to convict in a Senate impeachment trial. Here are the thresholds to reach a supermajority, assuming no vacancies:
- In the House, a two-thirds vote would be 290 members.
- In the Senate, a two-thirds vote would be 67 Senators.
Another threshold to know is 60 Senators, the number needed to vote to invoke "cloture" and end a filibuster.
Why it isn't 270 to win in the midterms
Another number some people may have in mind is 270 to win an election. However, that's only for presidential elections.
The Electoral College system is used to elect the president, and each state has an allocation of votes to award to whichever presidential candidate won the most votes locally. There are 538 votes, so the majority needed to win is 270.
But in the midterms, which party wins is based on how many congresspeople are directly elected, so we go off the number of seats in Congress.
When does Trump leave office?
President Donald Trump's term is slated to end when the new president is inaugurated in January 2029. The next presidential election will be held Nov. 7, 2028.
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. She is reporting from Maine for the 2026 midterm elections. Reach her at KCrowley@usatodayco.com. Follow her on Instagram and TikTok.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How many seats do Dems need to overcome the veto? A guide to results
