US Petrol Prices Dip Ahead of Midterm Elections as Talks Continue on Iran War

Gas prices and midterms

Petrol prices dipped ahead of the United States midterm elections as diplomatic efforts to end the US-Israel war on Iran continued, with the average price for a gallon (3.78 litres) of regular petrol at $4.17 on Monday, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said, “Oil markets down significantly this morning after Trump signalled he favoured negotiations and not new attacks on Iran,” as oil prices fell 6 percent on Monday. The Associated Press-NORC poll found that a majority of Americans believe addressing cost-of-living issues should be a priority for Congress, including 78 percent of Republicans and 89 percent of Democrats.

Petrol down to $4.171 of 4 outlets reported it · not in BBC and 2 more▾

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers tied the administration’s actions to gas prices, saying, “Once this conflict comes to an end, gas prices will drop drastically, and the Iranian terrorist regime will not have a nuclear weapon.” On Wall Street, ConocoPhillips was down 3.7 percent, Chevron 2.3 percent, and ExxonMobil 3.3 percent while the Nasdaq was up 0.7 percent, the S&P 500 0.6 percent, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average 1 percent.

Reporting for this sectionAl Jazeera

What voters choose

On November 3, about 210 million registered voters will determine how much power Donald Trump will hold for the remainder of his term as President of the United States, with control of the U.S. Congress at stake.

210m registered voters1 of 5 outlets reported it · not in Al Jazeera and 3 more▾

The elections include two special elections in Florida and Ohio to fill seats previously held by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance, and voters in 36 states also elect their governors.

The House of Representatives has 435 members, with all seats contested every two years, and the Senate has 100 members with 35 of the 100 Senate seats up for election.

Al Jazeera’s explainer said a Democratic victory could limit Trump’s ability to pursue his domestic agenda, and it quoted Todd Belt saying, “If Democrats control one chamber, all legislation not related to funding the government will stop.”

The explainer also set the House majority threshold at 218 seats, and it stated that Republicans hold 218 seats in the House, Democrats have 214, and one independent caucuses with them.

Reporting for this sectionAl-Jazirah net

Ballots, deadlines, and stakes

In New Jersey, voters head to the polls Tuesday for the 2026 midterm election, with polls opening at 6 a.m. and closing at 8 p.m., and voters must be in line by 8 p.m. to vote.

In South Carolina, polls will be open on Nov. 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and voters must bring a government-issued photo identification, including a South Carolina driver's license, a South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles ID card, a South Carolina voter registration card with a photo, a federal military ID and a U.S. passport.

In Florida’s Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, voters have until 7 p.m. to vote for key races, and the 2026 midterm election has already seen record early voter turnout with Escambia and Santa Rosa County hitting nearly 32% and just over 28%, respectively, at 10 a.m. on Monday.

The BBC’s guide framed the midterms as a test of who controls Congress, saying, “On 3 November, Americans go choose members of Congress,” and it described how the outcome decides which party controls Congress and how easy it is for the president to carry out his plans.

The BBC guide also stated that the Republican Party controls both chambers right now, with 218 seats in the House and 53 seats in the Senate, and it said the Senate would only change hands if Democrats win 51 seats to overcome the vice-president’s tie-breaking vote.

GOP holds both chambers3 of 8 outlets reported it · not in Al Jazeera and 4 more▾

Reporting for this sectionCBS NewsBBC