US Midterm Elections 2026: Americans Vote as Control of Congress Hangs in Balance

Americans are voting on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in midterm elections that will decide whether President Donald Trump keeps a Republican-controlled Congress for the final two years of his second term or faces a Democratic majority determined to check his power. The US midterm elections 2026 put all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 of the 100 Senate seats and 36 governorships on the ballot, in a nationwide vote widely read as a verdict on Trump's tumultuous second presidency.

More than 57 million Americans had already voted early before Election Day, a record for a midterm at this stage and a sign of the intensity of a campaign fought over living costs, immigration, the war against Iran and the future direction of the country. Polls opened first in parts of Vermont at 5 a.m. Eastern Time, with voting under way in New York, New Jersey, Virginia and other eastern states from 6 a.m., and the first polls closing at 6 p.m. Eastern Time. Results in the closest races, including Alaska's ranked-choice count and California's traditionally slow count, could take days.

Key Points

• Americans vote Tuesday, November 3, 2026, for all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships.
• More than 57 million ballots were cast early, already more than the 45 million early votes in the entire 2022 midterms.
• Democrats need a net gain of three House seats, according to ABC News, and a net gain of four Senate seats to take both chambers.
• Decision Desk HQ's final forecast projected 241 Democratic House seats to 194 for Republicans, and a narrow 52-48 Democratic Senate majority.
• President Trump has no public appearances scheduled on Election Day and will host an election-night reception in the White House East Room.

What Happened

Voting began across the country on Tuesday after a final day of campaigning in which candidates made their closing arguments and voters, in many states, had already made up their minds. Early voting, in person or by mail, set a record, with more than 57 million votes cast as of Monday afternoon across 47 states and Washington, D.C., according to an Associated Press analysis. That figure alone exceeds the 45 million early votes cast in all of the 2022 midterms.

President Trump, who campaigned in 20 states over the past 32 days according to the White House, has no public appearances listed on his schedule for Election Day. His diary instead lists private meetings and an election-night reception in the East Room, where he will watch results come in. In his final major speech before voting day, at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Monday, Trump devoted much of his time to the renovation of the Reflecting Pool, one of the Washington public works projects he has made a priority since returning to the White House.

"This is the last day before the midterm elections, the most important midterm I believe in our lifetime," he said, 26 minutes into the speech, before quickly returning to talking about renovations. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer branded it a "pathetic closing message." Trump had earlier told a podcast that if Democrats won Congress he would defy them, saying: "I veto everything," although he said he might strike deals with Democrats eventually.

On the Democratic side, the final hours brought high-profile endorsements in two of the most watched Senate races. Senator Bernie Sanders backed Florida Democrat Angie Nixon, who could become the state's first Black senator if elected. Former President Barack Obama urged Georgia voters to back Keisha Lance Bottoms for governor and to re-elect Senator Jon Ossoff. In Michigan, Haley Stevens, who lost the Democratic Senate primary, received a long ovation at Republican Mike Rogers' election-eve rally, a striking illustration of the bitter internal dispute in that race.

Background/Context

Midterm elections are held in the middle of a president's four-year term, and they have often punished the party in the White House. This time, Republicans go into Election Day holding both chambers by thin margins. In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson has 218 Republicans and one independent, Kevin Kiley of California, against 214 Democrats, with two seats vacant. For Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries to take the speaker's gavel, Democrats must attain a net gain of three seats, pushing their numbers to at least 218, ABC News reported.

The Senate is split 53-47 in favour of the Republicans. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to make Chuck Schumer majority leader, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune can lose three seats and keep control with Vice President JD Vance's tie-breaking vote. Thirty-five Senate seats are on the ballot, 22 of them held by Republicans, but the map runs through states Trump won, some by double digits, which is why Democrats face a harder path in the Senate than in the House.

The campaign has attracted more than $11 billion in political advertising. A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday found 46 percent of registered voters said they would vote for Democrats, compared with 38 percent for Republicans, and Trump's approval rating has hovered near the low 30s.

US Midterm Elections 2026: What Is at Stake

Losing the House would give Democrats the power to stall Trump's legislative agenda and launch sweeping investigations of his administration. A Democratic House would also give committee chairs control over government funding, including money for the war with Iran, and leverage in every spending fight for the next two years. Losing the Senate would threaten Trump's ability to appoint Supreme Court justices and senior officials, since confirmations would pass to Democratic control.

Reactions/Quotes

In the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, retired teacher Jane Callum, 77, was among Democrats canvassing for Senator Jon Ossoff who framed the race as a watershed moment. "I really feel an obligation to do everything that I possibly can to change the direction that our country is going in now, and put it more on the path to democracy and away from autocracy," she told AFP.

Some Republican supporters remained confident. "We're going to win. As a matter of fact, we've probably already won," Texas military veteran Yvonne Clouser told AFP. Trump himself declared the midterms a referendum on the first 20 months of his second administration, telling citizens to vote as if he were on the ballot.

Attention is also turning to whether results will be accepted. Trump, who tried to overturn his 2020 election defeat, has repeatedly alleged widespread voter fraud, with no evidence. A court ruled against a Justice Department effort over Alaska's Senate race on the eve of the election, and on Monday the Supreme Court rejected a bid to force California to set aside mail-in ballots of more than 20,000 people.

Why It Matters

These midterms will shape the last two years of Trump's presidency more than any single vote in Congress. A Democratic House could block new legislation, investigate the administration at length and force compromises on spending. A Democratic Senate would change the composition of the courts and the executive branch for years, because judges confirmed in the next two years will serve for decades. A Republican hold on either chamber would preserve Trump's freedom to pursue his agenda, including his tax, immigration and foreign policy programme, with far less resistance.

What Happens Next

Polls close in the first states at 6 p.m. Eastern Time, with results expected through the night. If either chamber is close, counting in Alaska and California could stretch into Wednesday and beyond, and legal challenges cannot be ruled out in races decided by narrow margins.

FAQ

What is being decided in the 2026 midterms? All 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships, along with many state and local offices.

How many seats do Democrats need to win Congress? A net gain of three House seats, according to ABC News, and a net gain of four Senate seats.

How many people voted early? More than 57 million ballots were cast early before Election Day, a midterm record at this stage.

When do polls close? The first polls close at 6 p.m. Eastern Time, but close races in Alaska and California could take days to call.

Where will Trump watch the results? At the White House, where he will host an election-night reception in the East Room after a day of private meetings.

Related coverage: Trump says he will become Mr Veto if Democrats win Congress, Supreme Court rejects Trump bid to set aside California ballots, Reuters/Ipsos final poll: Trump approval at 32 as Democrats lead by 8 points.