Midterm elections 2026: what time do the polls close today?
Özet haber: Here’s an hour-by-hour rundown of when polls close around the US, and some of the key races taking place
Here’s an hour-by-hour rundown of when polls close around the US, and some of the key races taking place
In the 2026 US midterm cycle, there are 35 Senate seats up for election, 36 governors’ races and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives up for grabs. There are also several ballot measures across the country on issues ranging from election administration to abortion access.
Democrats are looking to reclaim control of both chambers of Congress. They’ll need to gain four seats in the Senate to secure a 51-seat majority, and win at least 218 seats to take back the House.
Republicans are fighting hard to maintain their bicameral majority despite mounting national headwinds. They’re contending with a number of unpopular Trump administration policies: an affordability crisis stemming from the Iran war; a deadly immigration crackdown that has seen two American citizens killed by federal agents; a sweeping trade war; and Donald Trump’s own record-low polling.
Already, more than 56 million Americans have cast their early ballots, with millions more expected to vote on 3 November. Here’s an hour-by-hour rundown of when the polls close, and a look at some of the key races we’re watching in each state.
The majority of polls in Indiana and Kentucky will close at this time. But because parts of both states are also in the central time zone, some polling places will remain open until 7pm ET.
The next round of poll closings comes in most of Florida, Georgia, most of New Hampshire, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia.
We’re keeping a close eye on Senate races in several of these states. In Florida, progressive Democrat Angie Nixon is hoping to pull off an upset and unseat Republican incumbent Ashley Moody in one of two special elections this cycle.
Meanwhile in Georgia, Jon Ossoff, a Democrat senator in his first term, is fending off a challenge from the Trump-endorsed congressman Mike Collins.
In South Carolina, Darline Graham, the sister of the late senator Lindsey Graham, is seeking a full term after being appointed by the state’s governor to serve out the remainder of her brother’s term after his death in July. She faces pediatrician and Democratic nominee Annie Andrews.
And in New Hampshire, Republicans are eyeing an opportunity to flip an open Senate seat, with former GOP senator John Sununu challenging congressman Chris Pappas in a race that has become increasingly concerning for Democrats in the campaign’s final stretch.
The remaining polling places open in Indiana and Kentucky will also close at 7pm ET.
North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia will all close their polls at 7.30pm ET.
In North Carolina, the open Senate seat is a key pickup opportunity for Democrats, with the state’s former governor, Roy Cooper, facing off against Michael Whatley, the former chair of the Republican National Committee.
And in Ohio, we’ll have the second special Senate election of the 2026 midterms, with former Senator Sherrod Brown seeking a comeback after losing his 2024 race. Brown is attempting to unseat Republican Jon Husted in a contest centered in part on the fight over data centers in the state.
