US Midterm Election Results: Who's winning the 2026 polls? Here's all you need to know

Voting is underway across the United States as millions of Americans head to polling stations on Tuesday, November 3, to elect members of Congress and decide which party will control the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Democrats need to flip four seats in the Senate and three seats in the House to wrest control of both chambers from Republicans. Winning control of Congress would give Democrats greater power to challenge President Donald Trump's agenda during the final two years of his term.

Much of the battle is unfolding in states and congressional districts that Trump previously won by significant margins. Key Senate contests are being closely watched in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas, while competitive House races are spread across several states.


Democrats have focused their campaigns on Trump's approval ratings, public dissatisfaction with the war in Iran and concerns about the rising cost of living. Republicans, meanwhile, have highlighted social issues, with Trump making himself a central figure in the midterm campaign.

Who's Winning the US Midterm Elections?

Voting is currently underway, and there is no confirmed winner in either chamber of Congress yet. Vermont was the first state to open its polling stations at 5 a.m. ET, while Hawaii has the latest scheduled opening time, at noon ET. Voting hours vary across states. For a state-by-state breakdown of polling station opening and closing times, click here.

When Will US Midterm Election Results Start Coming In?

Preliminary election results are expected to emerge on Tuesday evening, November 3, after polling stations begin closing across different time zones.

As reported by ET earlier, results are expected between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET, as initial vote counts from states with earlier poll closings become available.

Results from a larger number of states are expected to trickle in by 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET, which may offer a clearer picture of the contests. Results from western states will begin adding to the national picture between 10 p.m. and midnight ET.

Vote counting in Alaska and other closely contested races could continue beyond midnight, with updates arriving as election officials process outstanding ballots.

When Will the US Midterm Election Results Be Official?

Media organisations are most likely to announce some probable winners' names following the voting but these projections are not official declarations by election authorities which might arrive much later. Officials are expected to complete the vote-counting process, known as the canvass, and carry out other legally required procedures before certifying the results.

But results of some seats could take several days or even weeks to resolve, particularly when the margins are narrow or large numbers of mail-in ballots remain to be counted.

For now, Americans are still voting, and the outcome of the battle for control of the US Congress remains undecided. The coming hours will provide the first indication of whether Democrats can make the gains needed to challenge Republican control of Capitol Hill.