What Time Do Polls Close? 2026 Midterm Poll Closing Times by State
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Here is when the polls close in every state, in Eastern, Central and Pacific time, plus the Senate and governor races to watch in each.
Poll closing times, in order
| Eastern (ET) | Central (CT) | Pacific (PT) | States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. | 3 p.m. | Indiana (most), Kentucky (eastern) |
| 7 p.m. ET | 6 p.m. | 4 p.m. | Florida (most), Georgia, Indiana (rest), Kentucky (rest), New Hampshire (most), South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia |
| 7:30 p.m. ET | 6:30 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. | North Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia |
| 8 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. | 5 p.m. | Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida (panhandle), Illinois, Kansas (most), Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan (most), Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire (rest), New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota (east), Tennessee, Texas (most) |
| 8:30 p.m. ET | 7:30 p.m. | 5:30 p.m. | Arkansas |
| 9 p.m. ET | 8 p.m. | 6 p.m. | Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas (west), Louisiana, Michigan (Upper Peninsula west), Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota (west), Texas (El Paso area), Wisconsin, Wyoming |
| 10 p.m. ET | 9 p.m. | 7 p.m. | Idaho (most), Montana, Nevada, North Dakota (latest), Utah |
| 11 p.m. ET | 10 p.m. | 8 p.m. | California, Idaho (north), Oregon, Washington |
| Midnight ET | 11 p.m. | 9 p.m. | Hawaii, Alaska (most) |
| 1 a.m. ET (Nov. 4) | Midnight (Nov. 4) | 10 p.m. | Alaska (Aleutians) |
Times show when most polling places close. Some states span two time zones, and some counties keep different hours. Confirm with your state election office.
Poll closing time by state
| State | Polls close (ET) | 2026 races we track |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 8 p.m. ET | Alabama Senate, Alabama Governor |
| Alaska | Midnight ET (most); 1 a.m. ET (Nov. 4) (Aleutians) | Alaska Senate, Alaska Governor |
| Arizona | 9 p.m. ET | Arizona Governor |
| Arkansas | 8:30 p.m. ET | Arkansas Senate, Arkansas Governor |
| California | 11 p.m. ET | California Governor |
| Colorado | 9 p.m. ET | Colorado Senate, Colorado Governor |
| Connecticut | 8 p.m. ET | Connecticut Governor |
| Delaware | 8 p.m. ET | Delaware Senate |
| District of Columbia | 8 p.m. ET | — |
| Florida | 7 p.m. ET (most); 8 p.m. ET (panhandle) | Florida (special) Senate, Florida Governor |
| Georgia | 7 p.m. ET | Georgia Senate, Georgia Governor |
| Hawaii | Midnight ET | Hawaii Governor |
| Idaho | 10 p.m. ET (most); 11 p.m. ET (north) | Idaho Senate, Idaho Governor |
| Illinois | 8 p.m. ET | Illinois Senate, Illinois Governor |
| Indiana | 6 p.m. ET (most); 7 p.m. ET (rest) | — |
| Iowa | 9 p.m. ET | Iowa Senate, Iowa Governor |
| Kansas | 8 p.m. ET (most); 9 p.m. ET (west) | Kansas Senate, Kansas Governor |
| Kentucky | 6 p.m. ET (eastern); 7 p.m. ET (rest) | Kentucky Senate |
| Louisiana | 9 p.m. ET | Louisiana Senate |
| Maine | 8 p.m. ET | Maine Senate, Maine Governor |
| Maryland | 8 p.m. ET | Maryland Governor |
| Massachusetts | 8 p.m. ET | Massachusetts Senate, Massachusetts Governor |
| Michigan | 8 p.m. ET (most); 9 p.m. ET (Upper Peninsula west) | Michigan Senate, Michigan Governor |
| Minnesota | 9 p.m. ET | Minnesota Senate, Minnesota Governor |
| Mississippi | 8 p.m. ET | Mississippi Senate |
| Missouri | 8 p.m. ET | — |
| Montana | 10 p.m. ET | Montana Senate |
| Nebraska | 9 p.m. ET | Nebraska Senate, Nebraska Governor |
| Nevada | 10 p.m. ET | Nevada Governor |
| New Hampshire | 7 p.m. ET (most); 8 p.m. ET (rest) | New Hampshire Senate, New Hampshire Governor |
| New Jersey | 8 p.m. ET | New Jersey Senate |
| New Mexico | 9 p.m. ET | New Mexico Senate, New Mexico Governor |
| New York | 9 p.m. ET | New York Governor |
| North Carolina | 7:30 p.m. ET | North Carolina Senate |
| North Dakota | 10 p.m. ET (latest) | — |
| Ohio | 7:30 p.m. ET | Ohio (special) Senate, Ohio Governor |
| Oklahoma | 8 p.m. ET | Oklahoma Senate, Oklahoma Governor |
| Oregon | 11 p.m. ET | Oregon Senate, Oregon Governor |
| Pennsylvania | 8 p.m. ET | Pennsylvania Governor |
| Rhode Island | 8 p.m. ET | Rhode Island Senate, Rhode Island Governor |
| South Carolina | 7 p.m. ET | South Carolina Senate, South Carolina Governor |
| South Dakota | 8 p.m. ET (east); 9 p.m. ET (west) | South Dakota Senate, South Dakota Governor |
| Tennessee | 8 p.m. ET | Tennessee Senate, Tennessee Governor |
| Texas | 8 p.m. ET (most); 9 p.m. ET (El Paso area) | Texas Senate, Texas Governor |
| Utah | 10 p.m. ET | — |
| Vermont | 7 p.m. ET | Vermont Governor |
| Virginia | 7 p.m. ET | Virginia Senate |
| Washington | 11 p.m. ET | — |
| West Virginia | 7:30 p.m. ET | West Virginia Senate |
| Wisconsin | 9 p.m. ET | Wisconsin Governor |
| Wyoming | 9 p.m. ET | Wyoming Senate, Wyoming Governor |
Frequently asked questions
What time do the first polls close on November 3, 2026?
The first polls close at 6 p.m. Eastern Time, in most of Indiana and eastern Kentucky. Most states close between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET.
What time do the last polls close?
Hawaii and most of Alaska close at midnight Eastern Time; the westernmost Aleutian Islands of Alaska close at 1 a.m. ET on November 4.
When will we know the 2026 midterm results?
Results start coming in soon after each state's polls close. Lopsided races are often projected the same night; close races, and states that take longer to count mail ballots, can take days. All results on election night are unofficial until states certify them.
Can I still vote if I'm in line when the polls close?
Yes. Anyone in line at closing time is allowed to vote. Check exact hours with your state or local election office.
See every poll in the closest races: Senate · Governors · Voter guide