Elections

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton toured the Youngstown Business Incubator and rallied in Liberty, stressing ties to Mahoning and Trumbull counties ahead of Election Day against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. Acton has repeatedly addressed a Ramaswamy-backed ad featuring her estranged mother, calling her a liar and alleging mental health issues; Gov. Mike DeWine called it exploitative. Both candidates are closing with pitches on Ohio's affordability crisis, with Ramaswamy touting his business background and property-tax executive orders, and Acton emphasizing public-service experience, a working families tax cut, and school funding.

Ramaswamy has self-funded and outspent Acton nearly $80 million to $34 million overall, though Acton has outraised him recently; both have shattered Ohio's gubernatorial fundraising record, and neither has held elected office before. Democrats are banking on a late push, including a Cleveland rally with Barack Obama and expanded early voting, as prediction markets show Acton favored heading into Election Day.

Harris County, Texas, has settled a lawsuit filed by the state attorney general's office over "Get Out the Vote" ads that used Meta ad-targeting tags tied to groups such as African-American literature, Latin music and Hispanic kitchen content. The office, led by Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth, spent roughly $43,000 on the ads over 30 days and has agreed to remove the demographic targeting and not reinstate it for the rest of the election. Hudspeth said the tags were dropped to avoid distraction while defending the outreach as lawful; the county attorney's office called the suit a political distraction. The dispute comes as Harris County has already topped 1 million early votes ahead of the November 3 election.

Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson, who once pledged to be President Trump's strongest Senate ally, is now striking a more independent tone as she faces a tougher-than-expected challenge from Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek in Iowa, a state Trump has carried three times. Hinson has continued to campaign alongside Trump and feature him in ads, but has also pledged to be "a thorn in his side" if he acts against Iowa's interests, a notable break from other Republican Senate candidates in red states.

The shift reflects signs of eroding enthusiasm for Trump among some of his own supporters ahead of the midterm election, adding uncertainty to a race in a traditionally reliable Republican state.

Ahead of Ohio's Nov. 3 general election, early voting has already topped totals from the 2018 and 2022 midterms, with nearly 1.5 million ballots cast by Oct. 30 — about 907,000 in person and 580,000 by mail. Unlike past cycles, voters have shifted toward in-person early voting over mail-in ballots, which analysts attribute to convenience and distrust of postal delivery timelines. The race includes open contests for every statewide executive office plus U.S. Senate and congressional seats that could shift the balance of power in Washington.

Statewide, unaffiliated voters lead turnout, followed by registered Democrats and Republicans, though the partisan gap is narrow and varies by county. Early in-person voting ends Nov. 1, with all ballots due by 7:30 p.m. on Election Night.

Minnesota surpassed its previous midterm early-voting record, with nearly 729,000 residents casting ballots in person or by mail ahead of Tuesday's election and more than 938,000 absentee requests filed overall. Secretary of State Steve Simon forecast historically high turnout and said his office has prepared for the unprecedented possibility of federal interference, after President Trump suggested without evidence that the Minnesota Senate race—where Republican Michele Tafoya trails DFL Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in polling—could only be lost through fraud. The Justice Department plans to send election monitors nationwide. State officials, including Attorney General Keith Ellison, say Minnesota's elections are secure and monitors will see a fair, well-run process.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy says he could stop or alter certification of the state's U.S. Senate result if an investigation he ordered finds illegal conduct tied to Democrat Mary Peltola's campaign. The probe follows a New York Times report, sourced partly to Peltola's fired former campaign manager, alleging Peltola advisers and DSCC aides helped recruit a second "Dan Sullivan" to run against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Peltola has publicly denied any knowledge of the scheme, and the DSCC denies involvement. President Trump has called for Peltola's removal from the ballot, though early voting is already underway. Separately, the Justice Department has sued to block certification of any winner but Sullivan pending review, seeking a ruling before the Nov. 3 election.

The allegations have become a flashpoint in national political commentary, with reactions split along partisan lines over whether the recruitment scheme amounts to voter deception warranting intervention, or whether Republican efforts to challenge certification represent their own form of election interference.

Philadelphia officials are ramping up security ahead of Election Day in the midterm elections. The District Attorney's Office is activating its Election Task Force, deploying 50 assistant district attorneys to respond to voting issues and operating a hotline for reported problems. The Department of Justice also plans to send federal election monitors to the city, a practice officials noted has occurred in previous elections.

Voters expressed mixed reactions, with some welcoming the added oversight and others voting early out of caution. Under Pennsylvania law, voters in line by 8 p.m. cannot be turned away. The task force will stay active until all votes are counted.