US Midterm Elections Set for November 3, 2026 With Control of Congress at Stake

The 2026 United States midterm elections will take place on Tuesday, November 3, deciding control of Congress and numerous state governments across the country. Voters will head to the polls to choose all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 Senate seats, and 36 state governorships.

Polling Hours and Early Voting

Polling hours vary by state, county, and congressional district, with many locations opening between 6 am and 8 am local time. Early voting has already concluded in Texas, where in-person casting ran from October 19 to October 30, and wraps up in North Carolina at 3 pm on Saturday, October 31. On Election Day, the first polls close at 6 pm Eastern Time in parts of Indiana and Kentucky, followed by states like Virginia at 7 pm, Ohio and North Carolina at 7:30 pm, and western states like California, Oregon, and Washington closing at 11 pm Eastern Time.

Results and Certification

Preliminary election results will begin to arrive as polls close and officials count the ballots. While media organisations may project winners on election night, these calls are not official results, and close contests could take days or weeks to resolve due to narrow margins or mail-in ballots. In California, mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day can be received up through November 10. States certify their results only after completing required canvass procedures, with Georgia setting its certification deadline for November 20 and California scheduling its statewide certification for December 11.

Context

Midterm elections happen halfway through a US president's four-year term and often shift the balance of power in Washington. Because different states use separate voting systems, mail-in rules, and time zones, final outcomes are rarely known on election night. Voters can check their specific polling locations and track ballot statuses directly through local election offices.