Midterm elections 2026: what time do the polls close today?

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.

6pm ET – first round of polls start to close

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.

7pm ET – polls close in six states, including Florida and Georgia

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.

7.30pm ET – three more states close polls, including two crucial Senate races

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.

8pm ET – 19 states and DC close their polls

We’ll see a flood of poll closings at 8pm ET. These include Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, 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.

A number of marquee Senate races fall into this wave, including the battle for Michigan’s open Senate seat between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and former Republican congressman Mike Rogers. Holding the Great Lakes state is vital for Democrats, but the race is expected to be close. El-Sayed is leading in many of the recent polls, but is still within the margin of error.

In Maine, we’ll be watching to see whether progressive Troy Jackson can unseat five-term Republican incumbent Susan Collins.

And in Texas, Democrats are betting on James Talarico, the state lawmaker who has surged in the polls, to defeat Ken Paxton, the scandal-plagued Republican attorney general. A Democratic victory would mark the party’s first statewide win in more than 30 years.

Finally, Kansas has emerged as a late-breaking battleground, with Adam Hamilton seeking to unseat Republican Roger Marshall and become the state’s first Democratic senator in nearly a century.

There are also several competitive down-ballot House races in Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where Democrats are hoping to flip swing seats won by Republicans in 2024.

At 8.30pm ET, Arkansas’ polls will close.

9pm ET – polls close in ten more states, including Arizona, Iowa and Wisconsin

In Arizona, there are several competitive contests, including the race for the sixth congressional district, where Republican incumbent Juan Ciscomani faces Democrat JoAnna Mendoza, a former US marine.

The state’s race for governor is also one we’re watching. Democratic incumbent Katie Hobbs is seeking a second term, but first must beat congressman Andy Biggs, who won the president’s endorsement in the Republican primary.

In Iowa, the neck-and-neck race for the open Senate seat pits Republican congresswoman Ashley Hinson against Democratic state lawmaker Josh Turek.

The Hawkeye state’s gubernatorial race is also shaping up to be competitive, with Democratic state auditor Rob Sand facing Republican nominee Zach Lahn.

At 9pm ET, polls will also close in Louisiana, Colorado, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Any remaining polling places in North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas will close at this time as well.

10pm ET – polls close in Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Utah

At 10pm ET, we’ll see almost all polls close in Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Utah.

One of the more under-the-radar gubernatorial races we’re watching is in Nevada, where Democratic attorney general Aaron Ford is hoping to unseat Republican governor Joe Lombardo in the Sun Belt battleground that Trump won in 2024.

Many polling places in one Oregon county will also close at 10pm ET.

11pm ET – polls close in California and other west coast states

At 11pm ET, we’ll see polls close in California, where former health secretary Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, is facing Republican Steve Hilton, a former adviser to British prime minister David Cameron, in the race for governor.

Most polls will also close in Oregon, along with all polls in Washington state.

In Washington, two-term Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who has frequently broken with her party on key issues, is hopin to hold on to her seat in a district that Trump carried in each of the last three presidential elections.

Midnight ET – final polls close in Alaska and Hawaii

Closing out the night will be Alaska and Hawaii, where most polling places will wrap up voting by midnight ET.

Alaska is also one of Democrats’ key pickup opportunities. Former congresswoman Mary Peltola has led Republican incumbent Dan S Sullivan in recent polls as frustration with the Trump administration has grown and voters contend with soaring energy prices in the wake of the Iran war.

The race has drawn scrutiny from the Trump administration and the president himself, who have accused Peltola and Democrats of recruiting a namesake candidate to siphon votes from Sullivan. The justice department even sought to delay certification if the Trump-backed Sullivan lost, though a federal judge recently rejected that effort. Peltola’s campaign denied recruiting Dan J Sullivan, but a recent New York Times report suggested otherwise.