The 2026 midterm election is on Tuesday, November 3. By mid-September almost every state has held its primary, so the dates that matter now are voter registration deadlines in October, mail ballot and early voting windows, Election Day itself, and the counting, runoffs and certification that follow. The new Congress is scheduled to meet on January 3, 2027.
Deadlines are set state by state, and a few differ by weeks. Use the dates here to plan, then confirm yours at vote.gov or your state election office.
What’s on the ballot in November 2026? #
- All 435 House seats. Every representative serves a two-year term.
- 35 Senate seats. That’s the 33 regular Class II seats plus special elections in Ohio and Florida. Those two seats have been held by appointees since JD Vance became vice president and Marco Rubio became secretary of state, and voters now pick who serves the rest of each term. Republicans hold the Senate 53-47, counting the two independents who caucus with Democrats.
- 36 governors, plus many other statewide offices. Our 2026 governor races guide lists every matchup.
- State ballot measures, including four constitutional amendments in Virginia and a legislatively referred abortion amendment in Missouri.
Key dates from September to January #
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Sept. 19, 2026 | Federal deadline for states to send ballots to military and overseas voters (45 days before the election) |
| Mid-September to late October | Early in-person voting opens, starting mid-September in a few states and mid-to-late October in many others |
| Early to late October | Most voter registration deadlines (anywhere from 30 days out to Election Day itself) |
| Late October | Most deadlines to request a mail ballot |
| Nov. 3, 2026 | Election Day |
| Nov. 4 onward | Counting continues; provisional and late-arriving eligible ballots are processed |
| Mid-November to December | Counties and states certify results; recounts where margins are close |
| Dec. 1, 2026 | Georgia runoffs for any race where no candidate won a majority |
| Jan. 3, 2027 | The 120th Congress convenes, unless Congress sets another date by law |
| January 2027 | Most newly elected governors take office |
Primaries are over in nearly every state #
Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas held the first statewide primaries on March 3. New Hampshire and Rhode Island were among the last, on September 8, when Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee lost renomination. Two senators also lost their primaries this cycle: John Cornyn in Texas and Bill Cassidy in Louisiana.
If you didn’t vote in your primary, you haven’t lost anything for November. Every registered voter can vote in the general election regardless of party. Our explainer on open vs. closed primaries covers who could vote in which primary.
When is the voter registration deadline for 2026? #
It depends on your state, and the range is wide:
- Thirty days before the election. Texas and several other states close registration a month out, which lands in early October this year.
- A few weeks before. Pennsylvania’s deadline is 15 days before Election Day. Many states fall between 15 and 29 days.
- Same-day registration. More than 20 states and DC let you register and vote at the same time, at least during early voting or on Election Day, usually with proof of residence.
Online registration is available in most states. If you’ve moved since you last voted, even within the same county, update your registration. Check your status on your state’s election website rather than assuming it’s current.
How do mail and absentee ballots work this year? #
Most states let any voter request a mail ballot, some mail ballots to every registered voter, and a minority still require an excuse. Deadlines to request a ballot usually fall one to two weeks before Election Day, but that’s cutting it close for mail delivery. The U.S. Postal Service has advised voters to mail completed ballots at least a week before the deadline.
Return rules differ in one detail that trips people up. Some states count only ballots that arrive by the close of polls on Election Day. Others count ballots postmarked by Election Day if they arrive within a set number of days. These rules have been challenged in court, so check your state’s current rule. When in doubt, use a drop box or return the ballot in person.
When does early voting start? #
A few states open in-person voting in mid-to-late September. Minnesota’s absentee voting begins 46 days before the election, and Virginia’s early voting begins 45 days before. Many states start in mid-to-late October, often running through the weekend before Election Day. A few states offer little or no in-person early voting without an excuse. Hours and locations are set by counties, so look them up close to the date.
What happens after Election Day? #
Election night numbers are unofficial. Counties keep counting mail, provisional and military ballots for days, and in some states for more than a week. News organizations call races when the remaining votes can’t change the outcome, but certification is what makes a result official.
- Canvass and certification. Counties review their totals, then the state certifies, typically from mid-November to early December.
- Recounts. Many states trigger an automatic recount when the margin falls under a set threshold, often half a percentage point.
- Runoffs. Georgia requires a majority in general elections, so any race where no candidate tops 50% goes to a runoff on December 1.
Control of the House may not be clear on election night. In 2018 and 2022 it took days to weeks for the last close districts to be called.
Why do the 2026 midterms matter? #
Midterms decide which party controls each chamber of Congress for the last two years of a presidential term. The president’s party has lost House seats in most midterms since World War II, a pattern we explain in why the president’s party loses seats in midterms. The generic congressional ballot, which asks which party voters prefer for Congress, is the best single national gauge of that mood.
Election Tracker shows a countdown to November 3, and it can schedule optional reminders on your phone at 30 days, a week, a day out and on Election Day. Those are countdowns to November 3, not your state’s deadlines, but the 30-day one is a good prompt to check your registration and mail ballot dates. The same app groups Senate and governor polls by race and averages the generic ballot on its House tab, with each poll’s pollster, sample and dates shown. It’s free on iPhone, no account needed.
Frequently asked questions #
When is the 2026 midterm election? #
Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Many voters will cast ballots earlier through early in-person voting or by mail.
Is it too late to register to vote for November 2026? #
Not yet, in most states. Registration deadlines fall in October in most states, and more than 20 states plus DC offer same-day registration. Check your state’s exact deadline at vote.gov.
What time do the polls close on November 3? #
Closing times are set by each state. The first polls close at 6 p.m. Eastern in parts of Indiana and Kentucky, and the last close around midnight Eastern in Hawaii and most of Alaska. Anyone in line when polls close is allowed to vote.
How many Senate seats are up in 2026? #
Thirty-five: the 33 regular Class II seats plus special elections in Ohio and Florida. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to win control, since the vice president breaks ties, and Republicans can lose up to three and keep the majority.
When will we know who controls Congress? #
Sometimes on election night, sometimes not for days. It depends on how many races are close and how quickly states with lots of mail ballots finish counting, such as California.