As we head into #ElectionNight, the first polls have now closed in Indiana and Kentucky.

Polls will continue to close across the US at different times (mostly because the US has six time zones).

Between 19:00-19:30, more polls will close across the southern states, including for key races in Georgia and Florida.

At this point, it could become clear whether there’s a wave and if it’s blue (Democratic) or red (Republican).

According to local media, the US territory of Guam has elected its first female governor - and she's a Democrat: Lou Leon Guerrero.

“We are extremely grateful for the opportunity given to us to make a positive change for all our people," she said, according to Pacific Daily News, external.

With all 67 precincts counted, Leon Guerrero and her running mate received 50.7% of votes cast, according to final unofficial results released early on Wednesday local time.

As Guam is not a US state, residents cannot vote in the presidential elections. Their Representative in the House is also not able to vote.

Guerrero is one of several women poised to make history during these mid-terms.

Watch: The women lining up to topple Trump

Early poll data from US network has CBS highlighted healthcare as one of the top issues for voters this year.

But it's an issue that gets precious little coverage in the national media, despite widespread concerns over cost and coverage.

At a clinic in West Virginia, patients and staff told the BBC's Ritu Prasad why they think the system is broken.

Read the full story here.

Image source, Getty Images

A huge campaign has been telling young people that they hold the power in this election.

But will they turn up today?

Young turnout in mid-term elections is usually low, but some signs suggest this year could see a bump.

Our team has taken a look at some of the key factors that might influence youth turnout.

Famous singers and actors are encouraging citizens to get out and vote.

Taylor Swift, who broke her political silence to endorse Democrats, has been active on Instagram - sharing posts by fans who #justvoted.

Others celebrities like Demi Lovato, Julia Roberts, Ellen Pompeo, Gina Rodriguez and America Ferrera shared pictures of themselves before or after doing their civic duty:

Florida governor hopeful Andrew Gillum received endorsements the night before voting began from stars like actor Tiffany Haddish and rappers DJ Khalid and Diddy.

Image source, Getty Images

Exit poll data by the BBC’s US partner network CBS shows that 65% of people said President Trump was a factor in their vote today.

That's higher than the previous peak of 60% for Obama in 2010.

Some 26% of voters said Trump positively influenced their choice for House of Representatives candidate, while 39% voted to oppose the president (and 33% didn't change their vote).

Around 44% of voters approve of the job Trump is doing as president - which is not dissimilar from Obama's rating in the 2010 mid-terms.

Image source, Reuters

Fox News has issued a statement rebuking its own star presenter Sean Hannity over his appearance at a Trump rally last night.

Hannity, known to be a vocal Trump supporter, appeared on stage with the president, pointing towards the press pool and declaring "all those people in the back are fake news."

On Tuesday, he tweeted that he meant to exclude his Fox News colleagues from that remark.

Hannity claimed that he had been surprised to be invited on stage, despite earlier suggestions it had been pre-planned.

But many journalists were shocked that a news personality would openly endorse a political campaign they cover, even though Hannity portrays himself as an opinion show host.

The fallout was enough to prompt Fox News, Hannity's employer, to issue a statement saying it "does not condone any talent participating in campaign events", and said the affair was "an unfortunate distraction" from its election coverage which was now "addressed".

Down in Texas, former presidential candidate Ted Cruz "should be strolling towards re-election" as our correspondent James Cook put it.

But he's facing an unlikely strong challenge from rising Democratic star Beto O'Rourke.

That's Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke, nickname from his childhood in El Paso, and he speaks fluent Spanish - a popular trait among Hispanic voters.

But he still faces a tough task to flip the Lone Star State from red to blue.

Read Cook's full profile of the exciting Texan race: Democrats dazzled by rising star

Tempted by some flattery on Twitter, the BBC's North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher has made some daring predictions - a good night for Democrats.

Our correspondent down in Florida, meanwhile, says it's going to be a tight race there, and will be waiting for the results.

She might be the wiser...

Image source, Getty Images

President Donald Trump sparked outcry earlier this year when he imposed a series of new tariffs on steel and aluminium, as well as Chinese-made goods.

Businesses complained the taxes would raise their costs.

And other countries hit back with tariffs on US exports from key Republican states, like Wisconsin, with the goal of increasing political pressure on the president and the Republican party.

So is it working?

We'll know better tonight.

Polls suggest the tariffs are not particularly popular, external, but trade policy ranks low on the list of voter priorities, external, compared to issues like Supreme Court judges and health care.

This mid-term has already been marked as likely to have a greater turnout than mid-terms before it.

First time voters - aged 18 to 20 and even older - are adding to those numbers.

Gracie Lou Phillips from North Texas had never cast a ballot but became determined to do so in recent years, the Washington Post reported.

Despite being seriously ill, she took part in early voting on Thursday with her daughter, casting her choice for Republicans. She later danced a little jig, saying "I voted!"

Sadly, her health took a turn for the worse the next day, and she passed away in the early hours of Monday.

The Democratic party is cautiously optimistic about taking back some legislative power.

BBC North America reporter Anthony Zurcher asks whether a “mid-term wave” is about to crash on Republicans.

We mentioned earlier the technical issues at polling stations in a number of states.

In Georgia, some voters were given provisional ballots instead of access to regular voting machines, according to the state's press secretary Candice Broce.

One voter, 56-year-old postal worker Shirley Thorn, said that digital problems had caused her to wait for more than four hours at a polling station.

"I was determined I was going to cast my ballot today because it's a very important election," she said.

Voters also posted footage on Twitter suggesting that hundreds of people had been forced to stand in line for hours due to a shortage of functional machines.

Donald Trump isn't on any ballot papers today, and has two years left of his presidential term to serve.

But if Democrats take back control of the House or the Senate, they could severely limit what the president can do in office over those remaining two years.

How likely is that?

Well, we've paired our data obsessives with some designers to help you understand the numbers in clear, concise charts.

The US state of Florida has asked voters to decide on a proposed constitutional amendment that would restore voting rights to about 1.5 million Floridians with criminal convictions.

The "Florida Amendment 4, external" initiative would allow people with convictions to vote on completion of their sentences - but exempts those convicted of murder or serious sexual assault.

Currently, people with prior convictions lose the right to vote in Florida.

Such an amendment could potentially have an impact moving forward and into the 2020 US presidential election, as the state often plays an important role in deciding close national ballots.

What's it like to be a young progressive in the United States?

We asked young Democrats, and they said "hopeful and disturbing" and "terrifying and exciting".

You can find our interview with young conservatives, posted earlier, on the BBC's Ask America page.

The New York Times' Maggie Haberman - White House correspondent and all-round Trump expert - says she's been told the president voted weeks ago by absentee ballot.

And while Mr Trump's schedule is completely blank for the day - except for his "executive time", Ms Haberman says that's the president's phone, TV and Twitter time.

And time for unrecorded meetings.

Image source, Getty Images

The BBC's North America Editor Jon Sopel says real excitement is gripping these elections, largely generated by President Trump.

Our correspondent looked at what the pollsters and analysts were suggesting in the hope of gaining some understanding of voter intention:

"What will the vote among minorities be? Will they turn out to vote in greater numbers than they did in 2016; and will they vote Democrat?

"Among women - 52% of white, college-educated women backed Trump in 2016 - latest polls suggest a massive lead for Democrats.

"That could make a huge difference in a lot of suburban House races. More women are running for office in these elections than ever before, partly in response to a president they perceive as misogynistic."

Read Jon's analysis in full here: Trump's invincible, but for how much longer?