One of our video journalists asked a young mother in Atlanta why she brought her one-year-old along.

"She has to learn young".

A lot of today's focus may be on the national scene, but there are dozens of state governor posts up for grabs in this election.

Some of the interesting races include:

• The story of Stacey Abrams, aiming to become the first black American female to run a state by defeating Republican Brian Kemp.
• Phil Scott, the Vermont Republican governor who changed his mind of gun control - a hot topic among his supporters - after finding out about a school shooting plot. He's up against Christine Hallquist, who could become the nation's first transgender governor.
• The battle for Florida, the nation's third most populous state, where the aftermath of the final debate descended into a shouting match.

Image source, Reuters

The huge scale of the US electoral system means that things don't always run smoothly.

The Associated Press is reporting, external a wave of electronic voting machine failures and congested polling stations across the country - in Georgia, Atlanta, Arizona, and New York.

In New York, Democratic candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ‏called for reform in the state, which has no early or postal voting options.

She pointed to video from one polling station in Brooklyn, where volunteers urged people to return later once broken machines were fixed.

Image source, AFP

Did you know that in many US states, you can register to vote on the day itself?

Election day registration is available in 15 states plus Washington DC, and there's a detailed state-by-state guide at the National Conference of State Legislatures website, external.

Those 15 states are:

1. California
2. Colorado
3. Connecticut
4. Hawaii
5. Idaho
6. Illinois
7. Iowa
8. Maine
9. Minnesota
10. Montana
11. New Hampshire
12. Utah
13. Vermont
14. Wisconsin
15. Wyoming

Welcome to our coverage of the US mid-terms.

If you're wondering what all the fuss is about, check out our really simple guide to these elections and how the results could affect the rest of Mr Trump’s presidency.

Curious as to who has the edge in this tight race? The BBC's North America reporter Anthony Zurcher offers his analysis.

Finally, something to whet your appetite for the race ahead, here's a look at how some voters feel.

Seen as a referendum on his presidency, these elections are ALL about Donald Trump.

Since waking this morning, the president has mainly retweeted himself from the last few days expressing his support for Republican candidates.

After 17 people died in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, many students turned their attention to politics. And they haven't stopped since.

Today, the March for our Lives movement is campaigning for young people to get out and vote for candidates who have strong gun control policies.

Image source, AFP

Former FBI director James Comey – who has repeatedly clashed with President Trump since his own dramatic firing last year – is the author of an opinion piece in today's New York Times, external.

"I feel the giant stirring. The awakening is slow, but it is underway," he wrote.

"Torches and death in Charlottesville. Children in cages at the border. The lying, misogyny, racism and attacks on the rule of law from our president."

"These things poke the giant. It takes time, but the American people are stirring. They always do."

One US voter went to great lengths today to exercise her civic duty.

Because her postal vote failed to arrive, Twitter user Emi Anne jumped on an overnight bus from Washington DC to North Carolina so she could vote in her home state - and then flew back in time for work.

She live-tweeted the journey, including her use of a night mask while on the bus "because skincare stops for no election".

Her journey has inspired others to share the long journeys they've undergone to have their vote count.

US share markets went on a roller coaster ride after the 2016 election – plunging and then starting a slow and steady glide to new records, as investors grew excited about the impact of deregulation and a major corporate tax cut.

This time around, many analysts say the election is likely to have less of an impact on company shares – no matter what happens.

True, uncertainty about the outcome may have contributed to recent declines, so there could be a modest increase as that cloud clears. But most analysts trace the falls to bigger, economic concerns like slowing global growth.

In a report last month, analysts at Morgan Stanley predicted the election would have a “neutral” impact on share prices no matter what happens.

One wild card? Trade policy. If President Trump changes trade strategy after the elections and reaches a deal with China – as he has hinted he might do – that would boost stocks, analysts say.

US elections.

Around the world, most campaigns last a few weeks. In the US, it's a different story.

The BBC's Colleen Hagerty explains why.

Early reports suggest a good turnout in some states so far this election day - but there's another story about alleged voter suppression which has been around for weeks.

Many states - the majority of them governed by Republicans - have put in place new legislation, saying it is needed to prevent rampant voter fraud.

But critics say the tougher identification and registration requirements are a deliberate attempt to limit participation in democracy.

We report on the battle for registration in three states where the fight is fiercest.

Social media and its influence was a big talking point in the last election - but this time, the key campaign tool is a little more old school: texting.

Texts are being sent direct to voter's pockets by both sides - by volunteers, automated systems, or even, according to a report by Slate, by scammers trying to mine personal information., external

One company which provides these texting services from real human volunteers spoke to the BBC about how effective it can be - but in an indication of how divisive this election is, they don't provide their service to Republican campaigns.

These teenagers care about politics. But they say that it's not easy going public with their Republican views.

“I have to watch what I say, and when I say it.”

In a similar vein to Facebook's action, the FBI put out a joint statement with other law enforcement agencies last night that election meddling is not a thing of the past.

"Americans should be aware that foreign actors - and Russia in particular - continue to try to influence public sentiment and voter perceptions through actions intended to sow discord," the agency said.

"They can do this by spreading false information about political processes and candidates, lying about their own interference activities, disseminating propaganda on social media, and through other tactics."

Their advice?, external Get voting info at the local election office. Think about what you're reading, know your source, and read a mix of sources.

Image source, Reuters

Among the record number of women running for office is Deb Haaland, who is on the brink of becoming the first Native American woman ever to be elected to the US congress.

Ms Haaland is running as a Democrat for the US House of Representatives in her home state of New Mexico.

"On my mom's side I'm a 35th generation New Mexican," says Ms Haaland.

She is among a record number of Native Americans - 104 by one measure - running for state and federal office this year. Fifty-five are women. More than 75 are Democrats.

Together they represent more than 50 of the 573 federally-recognised tribes in the United States.

Our correspondents in Miami and Virginia agree – polling stations are remarkably busy this morning.

However, whether those crowds leaned Republican or Democrat won't be known until after polls closes.

More than 400 women are standing for seats in the House of Representatives.

Can the so-called “pink wave” end the US’s woeful record on political representation by women?