US Midterm Elections 2026 Poll Closing Times And Key Races

The 2026 US midterm elections feature a massive slate of contests, including 35 Senate seats, 36 gubernatorial races, and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Democrats are aiming to reclaim control of both chambers of Congress, requiring a gain of four Senate seats for a 51-seat majority and at least 218 seats in the House. Meanwhile, Republicans are working to maintain their bicameral majority while facing challenges related to national affordability crises, trade tensions, and immigration policies. Over 56 million Americans have already cast early ballots, with millions more voting on November 3.

Poll Closing Schedule By Time Zone

The voting process begins closing in the east. The first round of polls closes at 6pm ET in Indiana and Kentucky, though some locations in the central time zone remain open until 7pm ET. At 7pm ET, polls close in Florida, Georgia, most of New Hampshire, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia. By 7.30pm ET, North Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia conclude their voting.

A significant wave of closings occurs at 8pm ET across 19 states and the District of Columbia. This group includes Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, most of Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, most of Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, most of North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, most of South Dakota, Tennessee, and most of Texas. Arkansas follows shortly after at 8.30pm ET.

At 9pm ET, polls close in Arizona, Iowa, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Colorado, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, and Wyoming, along with any remaining sites in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Texas. The process continues at 10pm ET for Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and one county in Oregon. Finally, California, Washington, and most of Oregon close at 11pm ET, with Alaska and Hawaii wrapping up by midnight ET.

High-Stakes Senate And Gubernatorial Contests

Several high-profile races are expected to influence the final results. In Florida, Democrat Angie Nixon is challenging Republican Ashley Moody in a special election. Georgia sees Democrat Jon Ossoff defending his seat against Mike Collins. In South Carolina, Darline Graham is running for a full term against Annie Andrews. New Hampshire features a battle between former GOP senator John Sununu and congressman Chris Pappas, a race that has become increasingly concerning for Democrats in the final stretch.

North Carolina presents a key opportunity for Democrats with former governor Roy Cooper facing Michael Whatley. In Ohio, former Senator Sherrod Brown is attempting a comeback against Jon Husted in a contest centered partly on the fight over data centers. The 8pm ET window includes a tight race in Michigan between Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers, as well as a contest in Maine between Troy Jackson and Susan Collins. In Texas, James Talarico is challenging Ken Paxton, a race that could mark the first statewide Democratic win in over 30 years. Kansas also sees Adam Hamilton challenging Roger Marshall to become the state’s first Democratic senator in nearly a century.

Western states feature notable gubernatorial and congressional battles. Arizona’s race for governor pits incumbent Katie Hobbs against Andy Biggs, while Iowa’s open Senate seat is contested by Ashley Hinson and Josh Turek. In Iowa, the gubernatorial race also pits Democratic state auditor Rob Sand against Republican nominee Zach Lahn. In Nevada, Aaron Ford is challenging governor Joe Lombardo. California’s gubernatorial race features Xavier Becerra against Steve Hilton. In Washington, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is fighting to keep her seat in a district that has trended toward the opposition in recent presidential cycles.

Closing the night in Alaska, former congresswoman Mary Peltola is challenging incumbent Dan Sullivan. This race has become a focal point due to rising energy prices and disputes over candidate recruitment. The administration has accused Peltola and Democrats of recruiting a namesake candidate to siphon votes from Sullivan. While the justice department sought to delay certification if the administration-backed Sullivan lost, a federal judge recently rejected that effort. Peltola’s campaign denied the recruitment claims, though a recent report suggested otherwise. As the final ballots are cast, the results will determine whether the current majority holds or if a shift in legislative power occurs.