American voters are casting their ballots on Tuesday in the midterm elections. Republicans and Democrats have made last-minute campaign pitches to win control of Congress.

The midterms take place in the middle of a four-year presidential term. They are considered a referendum on the current administration. This year, candidates are competing for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and about a third of the 100 seats in the Senate.

Democrats currently control both chambers. Pre-election polls favor Republicans to win a majority in the House while the Senate is seen as a neck-and-neck race.
President Joe Biden made a final push in Maryland on the eve of the elections. He criticized former President Donald Trump and his supporters for rejecting the outcome of the last presidential election.

Biden said, " We know in our bones that our democracy is at risk, and we know that this is your moment to defend it, preserve it, protect it, choose it."

Meanwhile, Trump has said he will make a "big announcement" next Tuesday. US media reports suggest he could announce another run for president in 2024.

Trump said, " This is the year we're going to take back the House. We're going to take back the Senate. And we're going to take back America. And in 2024, most importantly, we are going to take back our magnificent White House."

Analysts say the midterms will serve as a test of Trump's influence over the Republican Party. They say if the party makes gains, Trump could seize that to build momentum for a presidential bid.