US primary elections underway in several states ahead of midterms

Voters are heading to the polls in Alabama, California, Georgia, Oklahoma and Washington, DC, as the United States holds a new round of primary elections ahead of November's midterm contest. The primaries are part of the process of choosing party candidates for the general election, with control of Congress at stake later this year. In Alabama, the Republican runoff for a Senate seat has emerged as one of the most closely watched races.

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The Alabama contest pits former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson against Republican Congressman Barry Moore, who is backed by President Donald Trump. A first-round vote on 19 May did not produce a clear winner, sending the two candidates into a runoff on 16 June. Moore won 39% of the vote in the first round, compared with 26% for Hudson, and Trump reiterated his support for Moore last week.

Polls in Alabama are scheduled to open at 7am and close at 7pm local time. The Alabama race is significant because it will help test Trump's influence over Republican voters during his second term. The broader midterm elections in November are also being framed as a referendum on his presidency, at a time when the White House is facing public concern over the cost of living and the impact of the war with Iran.

Democrats in Alabama are also choosing their Senate candidate, with Dakarai Larriett and Everett Wess competing for the nomination. Beyond Alabama, the primaries in California, Georgia, Oklahoma and Washington, DC, are part of the wider process of selecting candidates for November's congressional races. Primary elections often determine which names appear on the ballot in the general election, making them an important stage in the fight for control of the US legislature.

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In Alabama, four of the state's seven congressional district primaries were rescheduled for 11 August after a US Supreme Court decision prompted several Republican-led states to redraw district lines. That redistricting backdrop adds to the importance of this week's voting, particularly in states where district boundaries and candidate selection can shape the balance of power in Congress. The Alabama Senate runoff is the clearest immediate test, but the other primaries also feed into the wider national contest that will unfold in November.

The results will help show how voters are responding to Trump's leadership and to the political issues dominating the campaign season. What remains unclear is how turnout will compare across the different states and whether the Alabama runoff will produce a decisive result. It is also not yet clear how the delayed congressional primaries in Alabama will affect the broader election timetable.

The next key development will be the release of official results from Tuesday's voting, which will show which candidates move forward to the November ballot.

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