US midterm elections 2026: voters prepare for a decisive showdown over the nation’s future
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Voting starts at 5 a.m. in Vermont and runs until as late as 1 a.m. Eastern time Wednesday, with early results beginning Tuesday night as the country waits for a verdict.
More than 230 million eligible voters will cast ballots on Tuesday in the 2026 midterm elections, with all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats up for election, alongside gubernatorial races in 36 states. Republicans currently hold both chambers, and these races will determine whether they can keep delivering on their agenda or face a renewed push from the opposition.
State officials set polling hours. The earliest polls open in Vermont at 5 a.m. (10:00 GMT), followed by New Jersey, Virginia, Connecticut and Kentucky at 6 a.m. (11:00 GMT). Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania and New York open between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., Ohio and North Carolina at 6:30 a.m., and Michigan at 7 a.m. (12:00 GMT).
Closures occur in waves, with Indiana and Kentucky closing first at 6 p.m. (23:00 GMT). Michigan and Kansas close at 8 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time respectively (01:00 GMT Wednesday), Iowa at 8 p.m. (02:00 GMT), and Alaska last at around 1 a.m. Eastern time (06:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
Vote counts will begin to be reported as polls close on Tuesday, with additional results expected through Wednesday as remaining states finish voting and officials process mail and provisional ballots. Early tallies do not guarantee final outcomes, and close races may take hours or days to call.
Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats and three House seats to secure majorities, making several contests especially pivotal in a battle that could decide whether Washington stays on a sensible course or swings sharply left.