2026 US Midterms Put Control of Congress at Stake
Voting began Tuesday, November 3, in the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, with control of Congress and 36 governorships among the stakes. The first polling sites opened at 6 a.m. Eastern time in Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and Virginia, according to an Associated Press report carried by ABC News. Polling hours vary by location, so those early openings marked the start of Election Day voting rather than a simultaneous opening across the country. Midterm elections 2026: Live updates, election results and key races across the U.S. – ABC7 New York · 2026 midterm election results: – WPBF
Every one of the 435 voting seats in the House of Representatives was up for election. The Senate contests covered 35 seats: 33 regularly scheduled races and two special elections, according to Ballotpedia. The outcomes in both chambers will determine which party controls Congress, while the gubernatorial contests will decide leadership in 36 states, WPBF reported. Election results, 2026: U.S. Congress – Ballotpedia · 2026 midterm election results: – WPBF
The House balance entering the election was close. Ballotpedia listed Republicans with 218 seats, Democrats with 214, one independent and two vacancies. A party needs 218 seats for a House majority, according to WPBF. Because all 435 seats were being contested, the results could shift the balance of power, though the final outcome would depend on the races as votes were counted. Election results, 2026: U.S. Congress – Ballotpedia · 2026 midterm election results: – WPBF
Republicans entered the election with 53 Senate seats, compared with 45 held by Democrats; two independents caucused with the Democrats, Ballotpedia reported. The site said Democrats needed a net gain of four seats to win a majority. The Senate races included both regularly scheduled elections and the special contests, making the overall total 35 seats on the ballot. Election results, 2026: U.S. Congress – Ballotpedia · 2026 midterm election results: – WPBF
The governor races added another layer to the national contest. WPBF reported that 36 states had gubernatorial elections on the ballot and that 19 incumbent governors were leaving office. The outlet described several of the contests as competitive and noted that the elections also included other state and local offices. The governor results do not decide congressional control, but they will determine who holds executive office in those states. 2026 midterm election results: – WPBF
More than 57 million early votes had been cast nationwide as of Monday afternoon, ABC News reported, citing the University of Florida’s Election Lab. The outlet said the early-vote total was expected to exceed the more than 58 million early votes cast in the 2022 midterms. Those figures provide a measure of voting before Election Day; they do not indicate which candidates or parties were leading. Midterm elections 2026: Live updates, election results and key races across the U.S. – ABC7 New York
The balance of power in Congress was the central national consequence of the House and Senate races. ABC News reported that the results could affect how effectively President Donald Trump advances his agenda during the second half of his term. At the start of Election Day voting, control of the next Congress remained to be determined. Midterm elections 2026: Live updates, election results and key races across the U.S. – ABC7 New York · Election results, 2026: U.S. Congress – Ballotpedia