Midterm Ballots: 470 Seats Up as Supreme Court Hears Faith Case

Americans cast ballots on Tuesday, November 3, in a midterm election that will determine which party controls Congress for the next two years. All 435 seats in the U.S. House and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are up for grabs. Additionally, voters in 36 states will choose their governors.

Republicans currently hold the majority in both chambers and aim to keep that lead through the final stretch of President Donald Trump's second term. Democrats are working to flip both the House and Senate to a blue majority. The outcome of the election hinges on a series of close contests across the country.

Analysts are watching Texas, Michigan, and Alaska closely. The latest polling data classifies the Senate races in those three states as toss-ups. The results in these specific districts will likely dictate the overall balance of power in Washington.

The Supreme Court begins its November oral argument session on Monday, November 2. Justices will hear seven hours of arguments spread across five days, concluding on Monday, November 10. The docket features several high-profile disputes involving federal and state powers.

The central case of the session is St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy. The court will decide whether excluding a Catholic preschool from Colorado's universal preschool program constitutes religious discrimination. Oral arguments in that specific case are scheduled for Tuesday, November 3.

The court's ruling will clarify how state funding programs interact with religious institutions. The decision could impact how public money flows to private and faith-based schools in Colorado and potentially other states with similar universal preschool initiatives.