Photo: Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images News / Getty Images
The 2026 midterm elections are underway across the United States, with polls open and voters deciding the fate of all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats. Nationally, thousands of state legislative seats, 39 governorships, and local offices are also on the ballot. Issues such as reproductive rights, taxes, and voting laws are motivating voters in states like Texas, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, with many districts redrawn after recent Supreme Court decisions on the Voting Rights Act.
The outcome will determine which party controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s second term, with Republicans defending narrow majorities in both chambers. Democrats need to gain four seats in each chamber to take control.
The most closely watched Senate races include contests in Michigan, where Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers are vying for an open seat, and Maine, where Democrat Troy Jackson is challenging Republican Senator Susan Collins. Abortion rights have become a central issue in Maine, with advocacy group Reproductive Freedom for All endorsing Jackson and criticizing Collins for her votes on Supreme Court nominees who played a role in overturning Roe v. Wade.
Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, but Democrats would need to flip at least two states won by President Trump in 2024 to secure a majority. Senate battlegrounds include Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas, all states with competitive races this year.
In the House, Republicans entered Election Day with a slim 218-214 advantage. Both parties are spending heavily in about 70 highly competitive districts, including Kentucky’s 6th, Indiana’s 5th, and several in Florida, Michigan, and New York. Early results from Kentucky and Indiana, where polls close first, will provide initial insight into national trends. If Democrats manage to flip these early districts, it could indicate a strong night for the party.
A technical problem with ballot scanners in Westchester County, New York, disrupted voting in the closely watched NY-17 House race between Republican Mike Lawler and Democrat Cait Conley, but state officials assured voters that all ballots would be counted.
Flooding in Florida led to the relocation of 18 polling places, impacting several competitive House and Senate races. The state also features two special Senate elections and several high-profile House contests, such as Democrat Angie Nixon’s challenge to Republican incumbent Ashley Moody, and Republican Maria Elvira Salazar’s defense of her seat against Democrat Eliott Rodriguez in Miami.
The Department of Justice has deployed election monitors to all 50 states for the first time, aiming to ensure integrity amid concerns about federal interference and election security. Several recent court rulings have blocked efforts by the Trump administration to change ballot counting rules in states like California and Alaska.
Results are expected to come in throughout Tuesday evening (November 3), but with many close races, it may take until Wednesday or later in the week before the final balance of power in Congress is known.