US midterm poll opening and closing time: Check state-wise voting timings for November 3 election

Today is the election day for the 2026 US midterm elections. If you are eligible to vote, you have to vote by the closing time today. The polling hours, however, vary across states depending on time zones. In some states, voting begins as early as 5 a.m. ET. Similarly, poll closing time also varies which can be as late as 1 a.m. ET.

Early voting facilities are available in 47 states and Washington, DC. Alabama, Mississippi and New Hampshire are the exceptions. Meanwhile, eight states and Washington, DC, automatically send mail-in ballots to all registered voters, although eligible voters can still choose to vote in person.

US Midterm Elections 2026: When do polls open across states?

Polling hours differ depending on the state and local election jurisdiction. Vermont will be the first state to open its polling stations at 5 a.m. ET, while Hawaii will have the latest opening time at noon ET.


Here is a state-wise breakdown of polling station opening times:

• 5 a.m. ET: Vermont
• 6 a.m. ET: Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Virginia
• 6:30 a.m. ET: North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia
• 7 a.m. ET: Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and South Carolina
• 8 a.m. ET: Alabama, Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin
• 8:30 a.m. ET: Arkansas
• 9 a.m. ET: Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming
• 10 a.m. ET: California, Idaho, Nevada and Oregon
• 11 a.m. ET: Alaska and Washington
• 12 p.m. ET: Hawaii

US Midterm Elections 2026: When do polls close across states?

Polling stations will begin closing at 6 p.m. ET in parts of Indiana and Kentucky. Several other states will follow at 7 p.m. ET, while polling stations in Hawaii and Alaska will remain open until midnight and 1 a.m. ET, respectively.

Here is when polling stations are scheduled to close across the country:

• 7 p.m. ET: Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia
• 7:30 p.m. ET: North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia
• 8 p.m. ET: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island
• 8:30 p.m. ET: Arkansas
• 9 p.m. ET: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming
• 10 p.m. ET: Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota and Utah
• 11 p.m. ET: California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington
• 12 a.m. ET: Hawaii
• 1 a.m. ET: Alaska

Note that polling hours can differ within individual states. In Texas and Alaska, for instance, polling stations in most areas close an hour earlier than the latest listed closing time.

Also, eligible voters who are already standing in line before their polling station closes generally have the right to remain in the queue and cast their ballots.