ADVANTAGE REPUBLICANS

Republicans have a huge advantage as they seek to hold or expand their 51-49 Senate majority, with the battle for control running mostly through states that President Donald Trump won in 2016.

Out of the 35 Senate contests taking place on Tuesday, 10 involve Democratic incumbents seeking re-election in states that Trump won, often handily. Democratic hopes of taking the Senate hinge on nearly all of their incumbents winning a difficult task and on flipping seats in a few states that lean Republican, most notably Arizona, Tennessee and Texas.

Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly is trying to fend off Republican businessman Mike Braun in a state that Trump won by 19 percentage points.

Donnelly is Indiana’s lone Democrat elected statewide and has sought to align himself with Trump on the hot-button issue of expanding the border wall with Mexico.

US officials say Russians have continued online activity targeted at American voters during the campaign for Tuesday’s election, masquerading as U.S. institutions.

Russia denies any interference. So far US authorities haven’t announced any huge hacks or the kind of multipronged campaign suspected in the 2016 election.

Dozens of Russians suspected of meddling in 2016 have been hit with US charges or sanctions, including wellplaced magnates. Moscow’s ties with the West have deteriorated badly amid ever-more-shocking allegations of Russian interference abroad.

Millions will be barred from casting ballots due to electoral rules at sate level which effectively exclude many minority voters.

Nearly six million Americans are excluded from voting because they are imprisoned, on parole or awaiting sentencing.