Midterm vote and Supreme Court arguments collide this week

Voters across the United States will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, to decide control of Congress. The midterm election puts all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats on the ballot. Ballots in 36 states also include contests for governor.

Republicans currently hold the majority and seek to maintain it through the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term. Democrats aim to flip both chambers. Polls indicate tight races in key states. Texas, Michigan, and Alaska are among the most closely watched, with recent data classifying their Senate contests as toss-ups.

The Supreme Court begins its November oral argument session this week. The court will hold seven hours of arguments over five days, starting Nov. 2 and concluding Nov. 10. The session includes the case St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy.

That case examines whether a Catholic preschool's exclusion from Colorado's universal preschool program constitutes religious discrimination. The court will hear arguments in that matter on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The date coincides with Election Day.

These events occur simultaneously as the nation determines its legislative makeup. The outcome of the House and Senate races will shape the balance of power in Washington for the next two years. The Supreme Court's decision in the Colorado preschool case will address the intersection of state funding and religious institutions.