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Election Day 2026: Polls Are Open and Control of Congress Is on the Line. Here’s What to Watch

Illustration of a paper ballot with a checked box dropping into a red, white and blue VOTE box in front of a domed civic building at dawn

It’s here. Polls open across the United States this morning for the 2026 midterm elections, and the prize is as big as it gets in an off-year: control of both chambers of Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term. Here’s a plain-English guide to what’s on the ballot, when polls close and why tonight’s results could take a while.

What’s on the ballot

Every one of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives is up for election, along with 35 of the Senate’s 100 seats, according to the Associated Press. Voters in 36 states are also choosing governors, and Al Jazeera puts the number of eligible voters at more than 230 million.

Republicans currently hold both chambers, but by thin margins. AP reports that 219 members currently caucus with Republicans in the House, just one more than the 218 needed for a majority when every seat is filled, with two seats vacant.

The math for a majority

Democrats need a net gain of three House seats to take the majority, according to AP and Al Jazeera. In the Senate, the bar is higher: because Vice President JD Vance can break ties, Democrats need 51 seats, which means a net pickup of four. AP lists the party’s best Senate pickup opportunities as Alaska, Maine, North Carolina, Iowa, Ohio and Texas.

History is part of the storyline. AP notes that since World War II, the House and Senate have both flipped from one party to the other in the same midterm only three times: 1946, 1994 and 2006.

Races getting the most attention

Several Senate contests are being watched closely by outlets including NPR and Al Jazeera:

Georgia: Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff faces Republican Rep. Mike Collins.
Maine: Republican Sen. Susan Collins, seeking a sixth term, faces Democrat Troy Jackson.
North Carolina: Democrat Roy Cooper faces Republican Michael Whatley for an open seat.
Michigan: Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers are in a closely watched race.
New Hampshire: Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas faces former Republican Sen. John Sununu.
Alaska: Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan faces Democrat Mary Peltola in a race NPR calls a toss-up.

On the House side, NPR highlights Pennsylvania’s competitive districts and Florida, which redrew its congressional map ahead of this election. Governor’s races in states such as Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania are also drawing national interest.

When polls close (Eastern Time)

Voting hours are set by each state. The first polls opened in Vermont at 5 a.m. ET, according to Al Jazeera. Closings roll out in waves, per The Hill:

6 p.m.: Parts of Indiana and Kentucky
7 p.m.: Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia
7:30 p.m.: North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia
8 p.m.: A big wave including Pennsylvania, Maine, New Jersey and most of Michigan and Texas
9 p.m.: Arizona, Iowa, New York, Wisconsin and others
11 p.m.: California and Washington
About 1 a.m. Wednesday: Alaska, the last state to finish

Why results may take time

Early vote counts are not the same as winners. Many mail, provisional and other ballots are counted after election night, so close races can take hours or days to settle. AP says it will call races in all 435 House districts and all 35 Senate contests, but its own headline sums up the night: knowing who controls Congress “could be a while.” Alaska’s ranked-choice system could stretch its count out for days, according to NPR.

Why it matters

Whoever holds Congress controls which bills move, how the administration is overseen and, in the Senate, which presidential nominees are confirmed. AP reports that House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has laid out a 100-day agenda focused on the cost of living and oversight, while Republicans are working to keep the majorities that have backed the president’s agenda. Either way, tonight shapes Washington through 2028.

What’s next: If you haven’t voted yet, check your state or local election office for your polling place and hours. We’ll keep following the results as they come in.