2026 Midterm Election FAQ
When is the 2026 midterm election?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Many states also offer early in-person voting and voting by mail before that date; rules and dates vary by state.
What offices are on the ballot?
All 435 seats in the U.S. House, 35 U.S. Senate seats (including special elections in Ohio and Florida), and 36 governor races, plus many state and local offices.
Who controls Congress right now?
Republicans hold the Senate 53–47 (45 Democrats plus 2 independents who caucus with them) and the House 218–214, with 1 independent and 2 vacant seats.
How many seats does a party need to control each chamber?
218 of 435 seats control the House. 51 of 100 seats control the Senate, or 50 plus the Vice President's tie-breaking vote.
How do I register or check my registration?
Go to vote.gov and choose your state. It links to your state's official registration and lookup tools. Deadlines differ by state.
What is the generic ballot?
A poll question that asks which party's candidate you would vote for in your U.S. House race. It is a common national measure of the parties' standing.
How is the poll average on this site calculated?
Each day we take the mean of every public poll that finished in the previous 14 days. Individual polls are linked to the pollster's release. See our methodology page.
Is the reader poll scientific?
No. It reflects only the readers who choose to vote (U.S. votes only, one per question per day). We always show it next to the national poll average.
When will the 2026 election results be known?
The first polls close at 6 p.m. ET on November 3 and results start then. Many races are projected that night, but close races and states with lots of mail ballots can take days. Results are unofficial until each state certifies them.
Where can I follow live results?
Our results page shows live, unofficial results for every Senate and governor race and the House, updated every minute on election night, with the news organization that made each call.
Who runs this site?
Midterm Election 2026 is an independent, non-partisan publication. It is not affiliated with any candidate, party, campaign or government, and it does not endorse anyone.