Glum electorate heads to polls.

• Position: STATESTATS

The mood is heavy as America enters election season. Voters are anxious about the economy, pessimistic about the future and fed up with gridlock in Washington, polls show. More than half the public disapproves of President Obama's performance, and in late August, a whopping 83 percent disapproved of the job Congress has been doing.

Joblessness is down and consumer confidence is up, but many Americans don't feel that things are improving. Sadly, 59 percent of respondents to a CNNMoney poll in June said they believe the American Dream is no longer possible. Among the most discouraged were young people--63 percent of respondents aged 18 to 34 said they felt equal economic opportunity no longer exists.

Extreme partisanship is often blamed for the malaise, but numerous other issues weigh heavily on voters, including the disappearing middle class, the widening income gap, long-term debt, terrorism and global warming.

The angst may give Republicans the edge on Nov. 4, but opinion is split. In a George Washington University poll in late August, respondents favored GOP congressional candidates over Democrats 46 percent to 42 percent. A different poll reversed those odds: Pew Research Center/USA Today found 47 percent of respondents planned to vote Democratic, and 42 percent Republican. This is...