Election 2022 live updates: Democrat Katie Hobbs elected as Arizona’s governor

AP: Democrat Katie Hobbs wins Arizona governor’s race, flipping state

Update 9:40 p.m. EST Nov. 14: According to The Associated Press, Democrat Katie Hobbs was elected Arizona governor on Monday, nearly a week after the midterm elections. Hobbs defeated former television news anchor Kari Lake.

Hobbs is currently Arizona’s secretary of state. According to the AP, she will succeed Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who could not run again for governor in Arizona due to term limit laws.

According to the AP, Hobbs is the first Democrat to be elected governor in Arizona since Janet Napolitano in 2006.

- Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Democratic Sen. Cortez Masto wins in Nevada

Update 9:46 p.m. EST Nov. 12: Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto won the election to a second term representing Nevada on Saturday, defeating Republican Adam Laxalt to clinch the party’s control of the chamber for the next two years.

Democrats now hold a 50-49 edge in the Senate following Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly’s victory in Arizona on Friday.

According to The Associated Press, the party will retain control of the chamber, no matter how next month’s Georgia runoff plays out, with Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote.

The vote count in Nevada took several days because the mail voting system requires counties to accept ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but arrive up to four days later.

- Jeff MacDonald, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Where the races stand on Thursday

Update 6:30 a.m. EST Nov. 10: Two days after the 2022 midterm election, Republicans remained on track to take the majority in the House Thursday, while control of the Senate hinges on results from three states.

Republicans have so far won 207 House seats with Democrats taking 184, according to The Associated press. A party needs 218 seats to hold the majority in the House.

In the Senate as of Thursday, Republicans have 49 seats and Democrats 48 with two states – Arizona and Nevada – still counting votes, and Georgia’s Senate race headed to a runoff.

Polls had suggested Republicans would make large gains in the House and possibly pick up more seats in the Senate, something President Joe Biden alluded to in comments from the White House on Wednesday.

“While the press and the pundits were predicting a giant red wave, it didn’t happen,” Mr. Biden said Wednesday afternoon at the White House.

Republicans gain three more seats in the House

Update 3:45 p.m. EST Nov 9: Three more House races have gone to Republicans, bringing their total to 206 as of Wednesday afternoon.

According to The Associated Press, Democrats have won 177 seats, so far. A party must get 218 seats to have a majority in the House.

In the Senate, the count is 48 seats for Democrats and 49 seats for Republicans.

House count has Republicans up

Update 2:15 p.m. EST Nov. 9: As of midday Wednesday, Republicans have won 203 House seats to 176 seats for Democrats, The Associated Press is reporting.

Democrats have lost six House seats they held in the last Congress, according to the AP vote count.

Democrat Laura Kelly wins reelection for governor in Kansas

Update 1:34 p.m. EST Nov. 9: Democrat Laura Kelly won reelection for governor of Kansas, The Associated Press is reporting.

Kelly defeated Republican Derek Schmidt who is the state’s attorney general.

Georgia official: Senate race goes to a runoff - again

Update 1:24 p.m. EST Nov. 9: The Georgia Senate race is headed to a runoff for the second time in two years, according to a state election official.

Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer in the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, told CNN Wednesday that his office is preparing for a runoff between Sen. Raphael Warnock and former NFL star Herschel Walker.

A runoff is required in Georgia if no candidate has more than 50% of the vote in a race.

As of midday Wednesday, Warnock had 49.4% and Walker had 48.5% with 98% of the precincts reporting.

Sterling said that as of early Wednesday morning, there were not enough votes left uncounted to give either man more than 50% of the vote, so a runoff would be necessary. The runoff will be held on Dec. 6

Warnock won the Georgia Senate seat two years ago in a runoff.

AP: Johnson beats Barnes in Wisconsin Senate race

Update 12:51 p.m. EST Nov. 9: Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson has defeated Democrat Mandela Barnes, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.

Johnson, the incumbent, had declared early Wednesday that “the race is over” after a tight contest with Barnes who is the state’s lieutenant governor.

“The votes are in,” Johnson said in an email statement. “There is no path mathematically for Lt. Gov. Barnes to overcome his 27,374 vote deficit. This race is over.”

Biden announces post-midterms press conference

Update 12:35 p.m. EST Nov 9: President Joe Biden will make a speech and take questions at a 4 p.m. EST press conference, the White House has announced.

Biden is expected to talk about the midterm election and how his party did.

While it looks like Republicans may take the majority in the House, control of the Senate is less clear, and may come down to a runoff in the Georgia Senate race between Sen. Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker.

Report: Maloney calls Lawler to concede

Update 10:48 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-New York), who heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, has called his opponent, Michael Lawler, to concede the New York House District 17 race.

Maloney is planning a press conference at the top of the hour to talk about the race.

The contest was high on Republicans’ bucket list as Maloney leads the organization that raises money to get Democrats elected to Congress.

Oz calls Fetterman to concede

Update 10 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Dr. Mehmet Oz, called John Fetterman Wednesday morning to conceded the Pennsylvania Senate race, Joe Calvello, Fetterman’s communication director, tweeted this morning.

Kentucky rejects anti-abortion initiative

Update 8:39 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Kentucky voters have rejected a ballot initiative that would have made it more difficult to challenge the state’s abortion laws.

The initiative sought to amend the state constitution to say that it doesn’t contain a right to abortion.

Nevada results not expected until Thursday

Update 8:17 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Nevada’s election results may not be known for at least another day, local election officials said late Tuesday.

The officials pointed to several issues including a rainstorm in Las Vegas.

Nevada’s Senate race is one Republicans hope will swing the balance of power to the GOP. As of Wednesday morning, Adam Laxalt was leading incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto 49.9% to 47.2%.

Election sees firsts in governorships

Update 7:20 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Two gubernatorial candidates made history Tuesday.

Maryland’s Wes Moore will be the state’s first Black governor, and Maura Healey, who was elected governor of Massachusetts on Tuesday, will be the first out lesbian governor in US history.

Update 7 a.m. EST Nov. 9: The battle for the majority in the House continues Wednesday as votes are still being counted across the country.

As of now, Democrats have won 172 seats and Republicans 197.

Republicans needed to pick up five seats while retaining the ones they won in 2020 to gain control of the House. A party needs 218 seats to gain a majority.

Where do the Senate races stand on Wednesday morning?

Update 6:30 a.m. EST Nov. 9: As of early Wednesday, here are where the key Senate races stand:

Arizona: Incumbent Democrat Mark Kelly leads Republican Blake Masters 52% to 45.8% with 66% of the votes reported.

Georgia: Democrat Raphael Warnock is ahead of Republican Herschel Walker 49.42% to 48.52% with 95% of the precincts reporting. If neither candidate gets above 50%, a runoff will be held on Dec. 6.

Nevada: Republican Adam Laxalt is leading Democrat incumbent Catherine Cortez Masto 49.9% to 47.2% with 75% of the votes counted.

Pennsylvania: Democrat John Fetterman was declared the winner over Republican Mehmet Oz. The Republicans had held that seat in the Senate. The seat came into play when Republican Sen. Pat Toomey retired this year.

Wisconsin: Ron Johnson, the incumbent Republican, is leading Democrat Mandela Barnes 51% to 49% with 94% of the votes in.

In the other Senate races:

Ohio: JD Vance (R) beat US Rep. Tim Ryan (D, OH-13), 53% to 47%

North Carolina: US Rep. Ted Budd (R, NC-13) beat Cheri Beasley (D), 50.7% to 47.1%

AP: Michigan votes to protect abortion rights

Update 4:31 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Michigan residents voted to include protections for abortion rights in their state constitution, The Associated Press reported early Wednesday. Similar measures also passed in Vermont and California.

Meanwhile, Kentucky voters considered a proposed anti-abortion measure, according to the AP. It was too early to tell the results, the news agency reported.

– Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

AP: Evers holds off Michels to win reelection as Wisconsin governor

Update 3:22 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, held off Republican challenger Tim Michels to win reelection, The Associated Press projected early Wednesday.

“Holy mackerel, folks, how about that?” Evers said in his victory speech, according to the news agency.

– Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

AP projects winners in Pennsylvania, California House races

Update 3:14 a.m. EST Nov. 9: The Associated Press has projected the following winners in the races for U.S. House seats in Pennsylvania and California: Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pennsylvania; Rep. Scott Peters, D-California; Rep. Mike Thompson, D-California; Rep. Doris Matsui, D-California; Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pennsylvania; Rep. Tom McClintock, R-California; Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pennsylvania; Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-California; and Rep. Darrell Issa, R-California.

– Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

AP: Fetterman edges Dr. Oz in Pennsylvania

Update 1:59 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Democrat John Fetterman won a bruising election against Dr. Mehmet Oz to win the Senate seat in Pennsylvania, The Associated Press reported.

Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor who suffered a stroke in May, gave the Democrats a key pickup in the party’s quest to maintain control of the Senate, The New York Times reported.

Fetterman, 53, campaigned while recovering from a stroke, requiring closed captioning during media interviews and one rocky debate performance he had with Oz, 62, the AP reported.

“I’m so humbled, thank you so much,” Fetterman told a crowd of his supporters.

“I’m proud of what we ran on -- protecting a woman’s right to choose, raising the minimum wage, fighting the union way of life,” he said. “Healthcare is a fundamental human right. It saved my life and it should all be there for you if you should ever need it.”

Utah Sen. Mike Lee wins third term

Update 1:59 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Utah Republican Mike Lee is projected to win a third term as senator, holding off the challenge of independent Evan McMullin, according to The Associated Press.

“Utah is quintessentially western, and it’s quintessentially a state about freedom,” Lee told supporters, according to KSTU-TV. “We know what that means and we’re willing to fight for it and sacrifice for it, and we’ve chosen it again tonight.”

Janet Mills holds off LePage to win reelection in Maine

Update 1:35 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Janet Mills, the Democratic governor of Maine, held off the challenge of former two-term Republican Gov. Paul LePage to win reelection to a second term, according to The Associated Press.

Mills is the first woman to serve as governor of Maine.

“Tonight, you sent a clear message -- a message that says we will continue to move forward, and we will not go back. We will continue to fight problems, and not one another,” Mills told supporters in Portland.

LePage did not concede the race when he spoke in Lewiston around 10:50 p.m., but he said “the election doesn’t look very well,” the Bangor Daily News reported.

Gretchen Whitmer reelected as Michigan’s governor

Update 1:27 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Democrat Gretchen Whitmer is projected to win reelection as governor of Michigan, The Associated Press reported.

Whitmer defeated Republican Tudor Dixon, a businesswoman and former television commentator.

It was the first time two women competed for the governor’s seat in the state of Michigan, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Michelle Lujan Grisham reelected in New Mexico

Update 1:18 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is projected to win reelection to a second term in New Mexico, according to The Associated Press. She defeated Republican Mark Ronchetti on pledges to safeguard access to abortion and sustain public spending on social safety-net programs.

Lujan Grisham pledged to focus efforts on recruiting and retaining more local police officers across the state, KRQE-TV reported.

“Tonight New Mexico said ‘no’ to a political crusade that wants to turn women into second-class citizens,” the governor said in her victory speech.

Kathy Hochul wins New York governor’s race

Update 1:12 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Democrat Kathy Hochul, who replaced Andrew Cuomo as governor in 2021, won a gubernatorial race in her own right, The Associated Press reported. Hochul defeated Republican challenger Lee Zeldin.

Hochul becomes the first woman elected governor of the Empire State.

“Tonight you made your voices heard loud and clear. And, and you made me the first woman ever elected to be the governor of the state of New York,” Hochul told supporters. “But I’m not here to make history, I’m here to make a difference.”

Hochul was Cuomo’s lieutenant governor before he resigned in August 2021.

AP projects Kemp as winner in Georgia governor race

Update 1:05 a.m. EST Nov. 9: The Associated Press reported that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has won reelection in a return battle with Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams.

Abrams called Kemp several hours earlier than the AP projection to concede the race, according to WSB-TV.

North Dakota voters turn down recreational marijuana

Update 12:55 a.m. EST Nov. 9: North Dakota voters rejected a ballot measure that would have legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, according to The Associated Press.

Supporters of the measure called it a responsible and conservative approach to legalizing marijuana, according to The Bismarck Tribune. The measure would have prohibited public use, allowed landlords to ban its use on their property, regulate production and sales, and provide safeguards for keeping the drug away from youth and young adults, proponents said.

Opponents said the marijuana industry would market the product in ways that increase addiction, according to the newspaper.

Arkansas voters reject recreational marijuana

Update 12:47 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Voters in Arkansas defeated a proposed constitutional amendment that would have legalized recreational marijuana in the state, according to The Associated Press.

If the measure had passed, adults 21 years of age and over would have been allowed to have and use marijuana with certain restrictions but without the existing requirement for a medical use card, KARK-TV reported.

Voters in Vermont approve reproductive liberty amendment

Update 12:39 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Voters in Vermont voted to approve a constitutional amendment that would protect reproductive rights in the state, including abortion, according to The Associated Press.

The measure had its beginnings in 2019 and gained momentum after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June to strike down Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion, according to WCAX-TV. The proposal had to be passed by two consecutively elected legislatures. Tuesday’s vote was the final step, the television station reported.

Shapiro takes Pennsylvania governor’s race

Update 12:27 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Democrat Josh Shapiro won the Pennsylvania governor’s race, The Associated Press reported.

Shapiro, who has been elected to two terms as the state’s attorney general, defeated Republican Doug Mastriano.

Democrat Patty Murphy reelected in Washington state

Update 12:22 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Patty Murray, a Democrat, is projected to win reelection to the Senate from Washington, according to The Associated Press. Murray was elected to her sixth term as she defeated Republican challenger Tiffany Smiley.

Murray’s tenure as a senator in Washington is only surpassed by Democratic Sens. Warren Magnuson and Henry “Scoop” Jackson. Magnuson served for 36 years and Jackson spent 30 years in the Senate.

Democrats Brian Schatz, Josh Green win races in Hawaii

Update 12:05 a.m. EST Nov. 9: Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz won reelection to the Senate from Hawaii, according to The Associated Press.

Schatz was running for his second full term, CNN reported. He was appointed to the Senate in 2012 and won a special election in 2014 before winning a full term in 2016.

Meanwhile, Democrat Josh Green was elected as the Aloha State’s governor, according to the AP. Green, the state’s current lieutenant governor, defeated Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona, Hawaii News Now reported.

Democrat Ron Wyden wins reelection to Senate from Oregon

Update 11:58 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Democratic candidate Ron Wyden won reelection to the Senate, according to The Associated Press. Wyden, 73, topped Republican Joe Rae Perkins, KATU-TV reported.

Ted Budd wins Senate race in North Carolina

Update 11:55 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Republican Ted Budd wins election to U.S. Senate from North Carolina, according to The Associated Press. Budd defeated Democratic candidate Cheri Beasley, WLOS-TV reported.

Hassan earns ‘must-win’ reelection in New Hampshire

Update 11:46 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Democratic U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan won reelection in projections by The Associated Press, defeating Republican Don Bolduc. The race was considered a “must-win” by Democratic leaders in their bid to maintain control of the Senate.

Kemp wins Georgia governor’s race; Abrams concedes

Update 11:41 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Stacey Abrams has called Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to concede in their rematch for the governor’s race, according to The Associated Press and WSB-TV. The AP called the race in Kemp’s favor later in the evening.

Kemp campaigned on his policy wins over the past four years, including his move to keep Georgia businesses open during the COVID-19 pandemic and passing legislation that would allow state residents to buy a firearm without a permit, The New York Times reported.

Democrat Tim Walz reelected as Minnesota’s governor

Update 11:28 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Democrat Tim Walz was reelected as Minnesota’s governor, according to The Associated Press. Walz defeated former Republican state Sen. Scott Jensen.

J.D. Vance tops Ryan for Ohio Senate seat

Update 11:24 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Republican J.D. Vance defeated Tim Ryan to win Ohio’s Senate race, according to The Associated Press.

Vance, the author of “Hillbilly Elegy,” was competing against Ryan for the seat that became vacant when two-term Republican Sen. Rob Portman retired.

Texas: Greg Abbott tops Beto O’Rourke in governor’s race

Update 11:14 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Incumbent Greg Abbott won a state record-tying third term as governor, defeating Beto O’Rourke.

It continued the pattern of Republican dominance in the state’s top offices, as no Democrat has won a statewide office in nearly 30 years, according to The Associated Press.

Abbott, 64, added heft to a possible 2024 run for president, and nailed down his position as the state’s second-longest governor.

Iowa: Republican Chuck Grassley wins reelection to Senate

Update 11:09 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley is projected to defeat Mike Franken, a retired Navy admiral, and win reelection, The Associated Press reported.

Grassley, 89, is set to become the longest-serving current senator in January, replacing Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy, who is retiring, CNN reported

California: Newsom reelected as governor; Padilla wins Senate race

Update 11:06 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Democrat Gavin Newsom is projected to win reelection as California’s governor, while fellow Democrat Alex Padilla was elected in his own right as the state’s U.S. senator. Padilla was appointed to the Senate seat when Kamala Harris was elected vice president in the 2020 election, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Padilla, who was appointed to the Senate seat by Newsom, is the first Latino elected as a U.S. Senator from California.

Republican John Kennedy wins Louisiana senate race

Update 11:02 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Incumbent John Kennedy was reelected to his Senate seat in Louisiana, The Associated Press reported.

Kennedy defeated Democrat Gary Chambers.

Republican Kristi Noem wins reelection as South Dakota’s governor

Update 10:58 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Kristi Noem, a Republican from South Dakota, won reelection as governor, according to The Associated Press.

Noem defeated Democratic opponent Jamie Smith.

Republican Eric Schmitt wins Senate seat in Missouri

Update 10:36 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Republican Eric Schmitt is projected to win the U.S. Senate seat that became open with the retirement of fellow Republican Roy Blunt, according to The Associated Press.

Schmitt defeated Trudy Busch Valentine.

Oklahoma voters reelect Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt

Update 10:32 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt won reelection in Oklahoma, defeating Democratic rival Joy Hofmeister, according to projections from The Associated Press.

Stitt, 58, who spent nearly $2 million of his own money into his campaign in the closing weeks, told voters he was making progress on his promise of four years ago to improve the state’s low rankings in many quality-of-life indicators, according to the AP.

Stitt is a Cherokee Nation citizen and the second Native American to serve as governor in the U.S., according to KOKI-TV. He was originally elected in 2018.

Maryland legalizes recreational marijuana

Update 10:26 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Voters made Maryland the 20th state to approve the legalization of recreational marijuana, according to projections by The Associated Press.

Similiar measures were also on the ballot in Arkansas, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Colorado reelects Democrat Michael Bennet to Senate

Update 10:18 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Democrat Michael Bennet was projected to win reelection to U.S. Senate from Colorado, according to The Associated Press.

Bennet, 57, was first appointed to an open seat in 2009, The New York Times reported.

Judge denies GOP request to extend voting in Maricopa County

Update 9:58 p.m. EST Nov. 8: An Arizona judge denied an emergency request from Republican candidates to extend voting by three hours in Maricopa County after vote-counting machines malfunctioned at dozens of election centers.

A lawyer representing Kari Lake, the GOP candidate for governor, and Blake Masters, a Republican running for the U.S. Senate, argued that voters had been disenfranchised by the malfunctioning vote-tabulation machines, The New York Times reported.

But just before the polls in Arizona closed at 7 p.m., a judge in Maricopa County, ruled that while “there might have been some confusion and some difficulties,” there had not been any voters who were denied the opportunity to cast a ballot.

Republican Phil Scott earns another term as Vermont’s governor

Update 9:52 p.m. EST Nov. 8: According to The Associated Press, Republican Phil Scott won reelection as governor in Vermont.

Mike DeWine reelected as Ohio governor

Update 9:17 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Republican Mike DeWine is projected to retain his post as Ohio’s governor, defeating former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, according to The Associated Press.

Democratic governors reelected in Illinois, Rhode Island

Update 9:15 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Democrats retained two statehouses as JB Pritzker won reelection in Illinois and Daniel McKee won another term in Rhode Island, according to The Associated Press.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reelected

Update 9:11 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Democrat Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, was reelected in his U.S. Senate race, according to The Associated Press. Schumer held an overwhelming lead over Republican Joe Pinion, according to The New York Times.

It was the fifth time Schumer has been elected to the Senate in New York, a state record, the newspaper reported.

Republicans retain Senate seats in Dakotas, Kansas

Update 9:05 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Republicans kept their Senate seats in the Dakotas and Kansas. Republican John Hoeven was reelected in North Dakota, John Thune won reelection in South Dakota and Jerry Moran won reelection in Kansas, according to The Associated Press.

GOP wins governor races in New Hampshire, South Carolina

Update 8:51 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Republican Chris Sununu was reelected as governor of New Hampshire, while fellow GOP member Henry McMaster won another term as governor of South Carolina, according to The Associated Press.

Maura Healey is 1st openly gay governor in Massachusetts history

Update 8:46 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Democrat Maura Healey, Massachusetts’ attorney general, defeated Geoff Diehl and was elected governor of Massachusetts, according to The Associated Press.

Healey becomes the first openly gay candidate in state history to be elected to the office.

The victory puts the Massachusetts statehouse in Democratic control for the first time in eight years.

Sanders, Boozman take Arkansas governor, Senate posts

Update 8:35 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the former White House press secretary under President Donald Trump, is projected to win the governor’s race in Arkansas, according to The Associated Press. Meanwhile, fellow Republican John Boozman was reelected to the Senate.

Sanders’ father, Mike Huckabee, was Arkansas’ governor from 1996 to 2007.

Sanders, 40, will become the first woman governor in the state’s history and will succeed Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is term-limited, according to NPR.

GOP keeps governor posts in Alabama, Indiana, Tennessee

Update 8:31 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Republicans Kay Ivey of Alabama, Todd Young of Indiana and Bill Lee of Tennessee all won reelection as governor, according to The Associated Press.

Wes Moore becomes Maryland’s first Black governor

Update 8:25 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Democrat Wes Moore has been elected Maryland’s first Black governor, according to The Associated Press.

Moore, a best-selling author who is running for office for the first time, defeated Republican Dan Cox.

Moore, 44, will take over as governor from Republican Larry Hogan, who is term-limited.

He becomes only the third Black governor of any U.S. state, according to The New York Times.

Rubio wins reelection to Senate seat in Florida

Update 8:20 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Republican Marco Rubio has won a third term to the U.S. Senate from Florida, according to The Associated Press. Rubio defeated Democrat Val Demings.

Ron DeSantis wins reelection as Florida governor

Update 8:15 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Ron DeSantis is projected to easily retain his position as Florida’s governor, The Associated Press reported. DeSantis, already being touted as a Republican candidate for president in 2024, defeated former Gov. Charlie Crist.

GOP takes both Senate seats in Oklahoma; Britt wins in Alabama

Update 8:12 p.m. EST Nov. 8: In a rare case, both of Oklahoma’s U.S. Senate seats were contested in the same year. Republican James Lankford won reelection, while Republican Markwayne Mullin was elected to the seat being vacated by longtime GOP Sen. Jim Inhofe.

In Alabama, Republican Katie Britt has won election to the Senate, becoming the first woman from the state to win the post.

Democrats retain Senate seats in Illinois, Maryland, Connecticut

Update 8:06 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Democrats retained U.S. Senate seats in three states, according to The Associated Press. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Chris Van Hollen in Maryland all will be returning to the Senate in January.

Florida Democrat first Gen Z member to win seat in Congress

Update 7:53 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Maxwell Alejandro Frost is projected to defeat Republican Calvin Wimbish for a seat in the U.S. House from Florida.

According to The Associated Press, Frost, 25, becomes the first Generation Z member to win a seat in Congress.

Frost was running for the Orlando-area seat held by Val Demings, who was challenging Marco Rubio for the U.S. Senate in Florida.

Wimbish, 72, is a former Green Beret who called himself a “Christian, conservative, constitutionalist” candidate for office.

Polls closing in NC, Ohio, West Virginia

7:30 p.m. EST Nov. 8: The first polls are closing in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia, according to The New York Times.

RNC sues to extend voting hours

Update 7:29 p.m. EST Nov. 8: The Republican National Committee announced it has filed suit seeking to extend voting hours due to tabulation glitches, The New York Times reported.

Republicans have asked a Maricopa County judge to keep the polls open until 10 p.m. local time and to suspend the public release of any early ballot returns until 11 p.m. local time.

The lawsuit, filed against Maricopa County, alleges that 36% of the county’s voting centers have experienced excessive delays and long lines due to the malfunctioning of ballot tabulation, CNN reported.

Sen. Rand Paul wins reelection in Kentucky

Update 7:25 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Republican Rand Paul is expected to retain his U.S. Senate seat from Kentucky, according to The Associated Press.

Paul was projected to easily retain his seat for a third term, defeating Democrat Charles Booker, WLWT-TV reported.

AP: Peter Welch projected to win Senate race in Vermont

Update 7:16 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Democrat Peter Welch is projected to win election to U.S. Senate from Vermont, according to The Associated Press.

If the projections hold, Welch, who has been Vermont’s lone member of the U.S. House for 15 years, will rise to Congress’ upper chamber after defeating Gerald Malloy, VTDigger reported.

Welch will take over the seat currently held by Patrick Leahy, 82, who is retiring after eight terms in the Senate.

Tim Scott projected to win reelection in South Carolina

Update 7:07 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Republican Tim Scott is projected to win reelection to the U.S. Senate from South Carolina, according to The Associated Press. CNN also projected that Scott would defeat Democratic state Rep. Krystle Matthews.

Polls began to close in New Hampshire, Vermont, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida at 7 p.m. EST.

Polls closing in Indiana, Kentucky districts

Update 6:10 p.m. EST Nov. 8: Polls for statewide races in Indiana and Kentucky close at 7 p.m. EST, but polls in some of the states’ House districts are beginning to close at 6 p.m., CNN and The New York Times reported.

In Indiana, polls are closing in the 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th House districts. Meanwhile, polls are closing in the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th districts in Kentucky, according to CNN.

NBA had no games scheduled on Election Day

Update 5:40 p.m. EST Nov. 8: For the first time, the NBA had no games scheduled on Election Day.

League officials said the move was made in order to “drive participation” in midterm elections, The New York Times reported.

All 30 teams played Monday, which the league promoted as “Civic Engagement Night,” according to the newspaper. Many teams handed out materials about voting access, and some dance teams even got involved by wearing T-shirts during their routines that urged fans to vote.

The league’s efforts have been nonpartisan, according to the Times.

Maricopa County has fix for malfunctioning machines, officials say

Update 4:50 p.m. EST, Nov. 8: Maricopa County elections officials said Tuesday afternoon they have a fix for tabulation machine problems seen at about 60 voting centers earlier in the day, CNN is reporting.

“County technicians have changed the printer settings, which seems to have resolved this issue,” the county’s elections department said in a statement.

The printers were “not producing dark enough timing marks on the ballots,” officials there said.

Man with knife arrested at polling place

Update 4:40 p.m. EST, Nov. 8: A Wisconsin man was arrested after pulling a knife at a polling place and yelling “stop the voting”, according to law enforcement authorities.

West Bend (Wisconsin) Police responded to a call of a man with a knife at the West Bend Community Memorial Library at 12:35 p.m.

According to police, they saw a man holding a knife and shouting for people to “stop the voting.” The man was taken into custody. It’s unclear what the man’s motive was, according to the Milwaukee Journal.

No one was injured in the incident.

Another state extends voting hours

Update 3:45 p.m. EST, Nov. 8: The North Carolina Board of Elections voted to allow three polling precincts to close an hour later in North Carolina after they opened later than normal Tuesday.

Wilson County’s Sanoca Fire Station, the Gaddys Community Building polling precinct in Robeson County and the Ransom precinct in Columbus County will all close at 8:30 p.m. ET, according to a story from CNN.

Voters would vote with provisional ballot after 7:30 p.m. ET, the board announced.

Voting hours extended at two Georgia precincts

Update 3:25 p.m. EST, Nov. 8: A judge has extended voting hours at two precincts in Cobb County, Georgia, after the polling places opened later than they were supposed to Tuesday.

Superior court Judge Gregory Poole ordered that the Oregon 03 precinct at the Fair Oaks Community Center remain open until 7:06 p.m. ET, and that the Kennesaw 3A precinct at the Ben Roberston Community Center remain open until 7:45 p.m. ET, according to the Cobb County government website.

Polls normally close in Georgia at 7 p.m.

Did ‘falling back’ hurt Texas elections?

Update 3:05 p.m. EST, Nov. 8: The Guardian is reporting that voters are being turned away from eight polling sites in Bell County, Texas, after check-in machines malfunctioned because of an issue relating to the time change that happened on Sunday.

“Some of our check-in machines … did not automatically update to the time change and as a result, because of the security involved with these things, they were not allowed to come online because the computer detected there’s a synchronization issue,” Bell County Public Information Officer James Stafford told CNN Tuesday morning. “Out of security, they were not allowed to come online, so we weren’t able to check people in at those locations.”

Only check-in machines are affected with the problem, not any voting tablets or voting tabulators.

Lawsuits abound

Update 2:45 p.m. EST, Nov. 8: According to The Associated Press, more than 100 lawsuits were filed before Tuesday’s elections, “targeting rules for things like mail-in voting, voting machines and access for partisan poll watchers.”

Illinois county says it is under a cyberattack

Update 2:15 p.m. EST, Nov. 8: An Illinois county is reporting a cyberattack that does not seem to be election-related, but that is causing some issues in voting.

The country clerk of Champaign County, Ill., said the cyberattack is causing connectivity issues making it harder for some to vote.

According to a press release, the clerk’s office website has been the target of D-DOS attacks over the past month.

A D-DOS, or distributed denial-of-service, attack is a way of disrupting the a server by overwhelming it with traffic.

“These cyber-attacks are a strategic and coordinated effort to undermine and destabilize our democratic process. The intent is to discourage you from voting. Please do not fall victim to this,” the release said.

“The Clerk’s Office is committed to ensuring every eligible voter in Champaign County has access to a fair, free, and accessible election.”

Who has the best ‘I Voted’ sticker

Missouri tells DOJ to stay away

Update 1:30 p.m. EST Nov. 8: A second state has asked the Department of Justice not to come into polling places during Tuesday’s elections.

State officials in Missouri asked that the DOJ keep federal election observers outside of polling places and said they would block any DOJ representatives who tried to come in to observe the voting.

According to the DOJ, it had intended to send election monitors to 64 jurisdictions in 24 states, including Cole County, Mo., which includes Missouri’s state capital, Jefferson City.

Florida officials notified the department via a letter they will not allow election monitors in polling places on Tuesday. The DOJ had planned to put election monitors in Florida’s three largest counties, Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade.

DeSantis gets Trump’s vote

Update 1 p.m. EST, Nov. 8: Former President Donald Trump told a group of reporters that he voted for incumbent Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday.

Trump then dropped a hint about announcing a run for president in 2024.

Trump told reporters about his vote as he came out of the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday morning.

“No matter who you vote for, you have to vote,” Trump said outside the polling station.

Many believe that DeSantis will also run for president in 2024, setting up a primary challenge with Trump. Trump took a swipe at DeSantis over the weekend, giving him the nickname “Gov. DeSanctimonious.”

Trump told reporters he will be making an announcement next Tuesday at his Mar-a-Lago home and resort in Palm Beach. He did not say what he will be announcing, though it is believed he will announce a run for president.

“I think Tuesday will be a very exciting day for a lot of people,” Trump said, adding, “The country has gotten very bad. Its lost its way, its lost its confidence.”

A bomb threat in Louisiana

Update 12: 40 p.m. EST, Nov. 8: A bomb threat to a school being used as a polling place in Kenner, Louisiana, has forced the relocation of the polling site.

There were no children in the school at the time, the Kenner Police said in a tweet. The school had been closed because of the election.

Problems in Maricopa County

Update 12:20 p.m. EST, Nov. 8: The New York Times is reporting that election officials in Maricopa County, Arizona, announced that tabulator machines at roughly 20 percent of voting centers are malfunctioning.

Kelli Ward, the Republican state chairwoman, is already raising the possibility of “malfeasance” and the recall of officials, the Times wrote.

Election officials said they are confident that all votes will be counted, but a delay in results should be expected.

Maricopa County was the center of a controversy in the 2020 General Election. After the election, the state senate launched an investigation into vote counting in the county after former President Donald Trump alleged election irregularities there.

The audit was completed in September 2021 and found no evidence to support claims of significant election irregularities.

Polls are open all across the country. When do they close?

Update 12:05 p.m. EST, Nov. 8: Polls have open in all 50 states now and voting is, by most reports, running smoothly.

If you did not get out to the polls early to vote, how much longer do you have to cast a ballot?

To find out when your polling place closes check here.

Philadelphia says it will delay counting paper ballots

Update 11:40 a.m. EST, Nov. 8: The Philadelphia agency that oversees elections said it will delay counting thousands of paper ballots after the polls close Tuesday night because it is the subject of a lawsuit that accused it of being open to double counting ballots.

The Philadelphia City Commissioners voted 2-1 at a special early morning meeting to reinstate a process called “poll book reconciliation,” The New York Times is reporting.

Poll book reconciliation is a process designed to eliminate the duplication of a person’s in-person vote and a vote that may have already been cast by the voter as either a mail-in or absentee ballot.

How does polling work in election coverage?

How does the president’s party generally do in midterm elections?

Update 11 a.m. EST, Nov. 8: When it comes to midterm elections, the party of the sitting president does not generally fare well.

The party in power in the White House almost always loses seats in either the House of Representatives, the Senate or both during midterm contests.

In 1938 midterm election, President Franklin Roosevelt lost 81 House seats and seven Senate seats. President Dwight Eisenhower did not fare much better. Ike saw 48 House seats change hands and 13 Senate seats go to Democrats in the 1958 midterm.

In the 2002 midterm elections, the first after the 911 terror attacks, President George Bush gained seats, eight in the house and two in the Senate. However, in 2006, he lost 30 House seats and six Senate seats.

For the president that followed, Barack Obama, the picture was not so rosy, either.

Obama lost 63 House seats and six Senate seats in 2010. The following midterm election in 2014, he lost 13 House seats and nine Senate seats.

President Donald Trump lost 40 House seats and gained two Senate seats in 2018.

Will transgender voters have problems at the polls?

Update 10:40 a.m. EST, Nov. 8: USA Today is reporting that transgender voters may face questioning or rejection by poll workers because their IDs don’t match their identity.

The story explains that 43% of voting-eligible transgender people who live in states that conduct their elections primarily in person lack identity documents that correctly reflect their name or gender and may face obstacles to voting in person as a result, according to a recent report from the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law.

Florida Department of State tells DOJ, ‘No thanks’

Update 10:15 a.m. EST, Nov. 8: The Florida Department of State has notified the US Justice Department that federal election monitors will not be permitted inside any of the state’s polling places.

According to a letter sent to the DOJ, the department said that the monitors “would be counterproductive and could potentially undermine confidence in the election.”

The DOJ routinely sends election monitors to polling places across the country on election day. According to the department, it plans to send out workers to 64 jurisdictions in 24 states on Tuesday.

If you are not registered to vote by now, can you still vote?

Update 10 a.m. EST, Nov. 8: If you are not register to vote, is it too late, on election day, to cast a ballot?

In some states, you can register to vote and vote on election day. About 20 states offer same-day registration in 2022. You can check to see if your state is one of them by going to The Washington Post’s voter registration guide.

The deadlines in the guide represent the latest possible deadline to register and vote.

It’s safe to vote

Update 9:45 a.m. EST, Nov. 8: The White House announced Monday that it hasn’t heard of any “specific credible threats” to polling places in the United States.

“Law enforcement has briefed us that there are no specific credible threats at this point,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a White House press briefing on Monday. “Americans should feel safe going to the polls. It is important for Americans to do so.”

Will youth be served?

Update 9:30 a.m. EST, Nov. 8: An estimated 8.3 million Americans are now old enough to be eligible to vote for the first time this election, The Guardian is reporting.

Those young people could possibly be represented in the House by two of their own. Maxwell Frost, a Democrat from Florida, and Karoline Leavitt, a Republican running in New Hampshire, would be the first from the Gen Z generation to serve in Congress if they win tonight.

Leavitt would be the youngest woman ever elected to Congress if she wins

Do you think Election Day should be a federal holiday?

Early voting surge seen across the country

Update 9 a.m. EST, Nov. 8: Data from the United States Election Project shows that 44,273,515 people had cast their ballots before polls opened on Tuesday morning.

Those votes came in early in-person voting and voting by mail, the project’s data showed.

Of the total early votes,19,936,099 people cast ballots in early in-person voting, and 24,337,416 voted via early mail-in voting.

Twenty-four states report early voting by political party, and in those states, 9.9 million Democrats voted early, 7.8 million Republicans voted early, and 5.3 million who either indicated no party affiliation or was affiliated with a minor party, voted early.

More Republicans participated in early in-person voting, while more Democrats voted by mail, the numbers show.

Republicans had a slightly higher return rate for mail-in ballots requested.

Women are on the ballot

Update 8:30 a.m. EST, Nov. 8: There are 309 women running for the House, the Senate or for governor on midterm ballots across the country this year.

For seats in the House, 263 women are on ballots across the country. There are 21 women in the race for the 35 open Senate seats, and 25 women who are running for governor.

If a woman wins the race for governor in Georgia, Arkansas or Iowa, it will be the first time that has happened.

Don’t hold your breath

8:15 a.m. EST, Nov. 8: Voting has already begun across the country with polling places open in states in the Eastern and Central time zones.

While polling places are seeing voters ready to cast their vote early on election day, it doesn’t mean we won’t have a wait for results in some places.

In Pennsylvania alone, where Dr. Mehmet Oz and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman are in one of the hottest Senate races of this election, officials have already said it will take days for results to be counted.

“We need to set realistic expectations,” Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Leigh Chapman told reporters on Oct. 24. Chapman said the public and media should “not expect complete results on election night.”

– The Associated Press contributed to this report.