WASHINGTON — Voters across the United States headed to the polls on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, to cast ballots in high-stakes midterm elections that will determine the political balance of Washington for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.
The nationwide contests serve as the first major electoral referendum on President Trump's second term. While the presidency itself is not on the ballot, control of both chambers of Congress and numerous state governments hangs in the balance. Republicans entered Election Day defending a narrow majority in the House of Representatives and a 53-to-47 advantage in the Senate, alongside 26 governorships nationwide.
What is at Stake in Congress and State Houses
The midterm cycle features ballots for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, where a party needs 218 seats to secure a majority. In the Senate, more than a third of the 100 seats are being contested—including regular races and special elections in states such as Florida and Ohio—with Democrats needing a net gain of four seats to reach a 51-seat majority. Additionally, voters are deciding 36 state governorships and thousands of local and state legislative seats.
The outcome of the congressional races will directly impact the remainder of President Trump’s administration. A continued Republican majority would preserve a favorable environment for the White House to advance its legislative agenda. Conversely, if Democrats successfully flip either chamber, they would gain control over committee agendas, secure investigative powers, and possess greater leverage to block administration policies.
Polling locations close gradually across the country's various time zones, beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern Time, with the final polls closing in Alaska. Because of differing state regulations, mail-in ballot processing, and the closeness of several key races, official results may take days or even weeks to finalize.
