Nearly 60 million voters cast ballots before Tuesday's election

Americans voted en masse ahead of the Tuesday election.

Nearly 60 million eligible voters cast their ballots before Election Day, according to Pew Research Center. These early ballots were submitted either in person or by mail. The total represents a portion of the roughly 250 million Americans eligible to vote.

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for election on Tuesday. Voters will also select 35 members of the Senate, along with candidates in hundreds of local races. The outcome will determine which party holds the majority in Congress. This result will also shape President Donald Trump's ability to advance his legislative agenda over the next two years.

The Justice Department announced it is deploying approximately 1,000 election monitors and observers. This marks the first time the department has sent a monitoring team to every state. These federal officials will check compliance with voting rights laws. Their duties include ensuring access for voters with disabilities and protecting against voter intimidation.

Early voting numbers do not guarantee a clear indicator of which party is gaining ground. Even in states that report party registration, those affiliations do not always match the specific candidates voters supported.

Polls close on Tuesday. Control of Congress may remain unsettled beyond election night. Close contests and the time required to count outstanding ballots could delay final results.