US midterms: what happened while Asia slept, and when to expect results

Polls began closing across the United States on Tuesday evening in midterm elections that will decide whether US President Donald Trump’s Republicans keep control of Congress, after a day of voting disrupted by floods and machine glitches but largely free of the problems many had feared.The first polls closed at 6pm Eastern Time (7am Hong Kong time), with most states following over the next several hours. The last state to close polls will be Alaska, at 1am Eastern Time (2pm Hong Kong time). Some results could come within hours, but others may take days.Here is what happened while Asia slept.1. Democrats go in as favouritesDemocrats need a net gain of three seats to take the House of Representatives and four to take the Senate. They entered election day with a nine-point lead in the generic congressional ballot, according to CNN’s poll of polls.The global impact of the coming US midterm elections under Donald TrumpPrediction markets on Tuesday afternoon implied a 94 per cent chance that Democrats would take the House and a 74 per cent chance they would win the Senate, according to analytics firm BetInt. Senate races to watch include Maine, Texas, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina and Iowa.2. Floods and glitches, but few serious problemsVoting went relatively smoothly, according to the Associated Press. Flooding in Florida forced officials to move at least 19 polling stations, while heavy rain hampered voters in four southwestern states.