There are 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, with the representatives being elected for two-year terms, from districts of approximately equal population.
The Senate has 100 seats, with two senators from each state serving six-year terms.
It will make a lot of difference whether Democrats hold majorities in both houses of Congress, or whether Republicans win at least one.
In the current 111th Congress, there are 255 Democrats in the House, with 178 Republicans and two vacancies.
In the current Senate, there are 57 Democrats, 41 Republicans and two independents who usually vote with the Democrats.
What will be the outcomes of today’s elections?
Some analysts predict the Republicans will gain enough seats to give them a House majority, with possibly 230 to 232 Republicans, to 205 to 203 Democrats in minority.
The “guesses” concerning the Senate go slightly the other way. About 52 Democrats are expected to occupy Senate seats, leaving only 48 to Republicans. A very few surprises could make a big difference.
If most estimates hold true, however, there will be a Democrat president and a Democrat majority in the Senate, with a GOP majority in the House battling to put brakes on extreme efforts by the Democrats.
Already, many Americans are beginning to look toward the 2012 presidential and congressional elections, to sort things out.
Well, either late tonight or early in the morning, we’ll know a little more about what to expect in Washington, for better or worse, in the next two years.