In Pictures

Photos: Americans vote in laundromats, schools and libraries

Inflation, abortion and the future of democracy weigh heavily on voters’ minds in key US midterm elections.

An election worker places a sign outside a polling station. — An election worker places a sign outside a polling station in El Paso, Texas, just before polls open on November 8, 2022 [LM Otero/AP Photo]

Americans were voting on Tuesday in a key election that will decide whether Republicans end the Democratic Party’s hold on Washington and take back the House and Senate.

The balloting marks the first major national elections since the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and the US Supreme Court’s decision this past June to end constitutional protection of abortion rights.

All 435 seats in the narrowly held House and one-third of the evenly divided Senate are being decided, alongside governorships and state and local positions.

Emotions were raw as people stood outside libraries, fitness centres, laundromats and fire stations to begin casting ballots. From Lewiston, Maine, to rainy Pacoima, California, they held infants in their arms and wore uniforms, suits and workout clothes as they waited to vote.

Many said inflation, abortion, crime and the future of democracy weighed heavily on their minds.

Roy McPhail sets up a sign shortly before the doors opened to voters. — A man sets up a sign shortly before doors open to voters at a fire station in New Gloucester, Maine. [Robert F Bukaty/AP Photo]

Loretta Myers fills out her ballot at her polling place. — A woman fills out her ballot at the New Life Worship Center Church of God in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. [Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo]

Voters line up to cast their ballots in the midterm election at the Aspray Boat House in Warwick, R.I — Voters line up to cast their ballots at the Aspray Boat House in Warwick, Rhode Island. [David Goldman/AP Photo]

A voter moves to cast her ballot. — A voter casts her ballot at an electronic counting machine at a polling site in the Brooklyn Museum. [John Minchillo/AP Photo]

Members of the Orthodox Jewish community stand in line to register to vote at a polling center. — Members of the Orthodox Jewish community stand in line to register to vote at a polling centre in the Brooklyn borough of New York. [Wong Maye-E/AP Photo]

Poll worker Alany Gonzalez sets up another voting booth in front of dryers . — A poll worker sets up a voting booth in front of dryers at the Su Nueva Lavanderia near Chicago's Midway Airport. [Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Photo]

Members of Mariachi America perform outside the City County Building — Members of Mariachi America perform for voters early on Tuesday morning in downtown Denver. [David Zalubowski/AP Photo]

Election workers process mail-in-ballots. — Election workers process mail-in ballots for the midterm elections in Philadelphia. [Matt Rourke/AP Photo]