What time do polling stations open and close during the 2026 US midterm elections? | News 2026 US midterm elections

The first set of polling places is expected to open in Vermont at 5 a.m. (10 a.m. GMT). Voting in New Jersey, Virginia, Connecticut and Kentucky will begin at 6 a.m. (11 a.m. GMT).

More than 230 million eligible voters across the United States can go to the polls on Tuesday to decide who will represent them in Congress.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate are up for grabs. Voters in 36 states will also elect their governors. Republicans currently occupy both chambers.

Here is what is expected that day:

What time do the polling stations open?

Voting hours are determined and set by each state.

The first polling stations are expected to open in Vermont at 5 a.m. (10:00 GMT). Voting in New Jersey, Virginia, Connecticut and Kentucky will begin at 6:00 a.m. (11:00 GMT).

Voting in Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania and New York will begin between 6:00 a.m. (11:00 GMT) and 7:00 a.m. (12:00 GMT), while in Ohio and North Carolina voting will begin at 6:30 a.m. (11:30 GMT).

In Michigan, polls will open at 7:00 a.m. (12:00 GMT).

What time will the polls close?

Polling stations are closing in waves across the country, with the first closures occurring at 6 p.m. (11 p.m. GMT) in Indiana and Kentucky.

Voting in Michigan closes at 8 p.m. and in Kansas at 7 p.m. local time (both 01:00 GMT Wednesday), while in Iowa polls close at 8:00 p.m. (02:00 GMT Wednesday).

Alaska was the last to close, around 1 a.m. Eastern Time (0600 GMT) on Wednesday.

When will we know the results?

The first results could start arriving on Tuesday when the polling stations close.

Results will continue to come in Tuesday evening, and some on Wednesday, as more states finish voting and officials begin releasing vote tallies.

However, the first results announced do not necessarily mean that a winner has been announced.

Election officials release vote tallies as ballots are processed, while news organizations such as The Associated Press analyze the results and determine when a race can be called.

Hotly contested races could take hours or even days to run. It may not be immediately clear which party will control Congress.

How does the American electoral system work in the midterms?

Voters can vote by mail, early or in person on Election Day, Tuesday.

Many absentee, provisional and other ballots are counted after election night, so the count may take a few days or even weeks to finalize.

What races should you watch?

Senate Democrats need a net gain of four seats to reach a majority. House Democrats need three seats for a majority.

Here are some key races to watch as the two sides face off:

• In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers are engaged in a closely watched race after Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens decided to support Rogers on Sunday.
• In Florida, Democrat Angie Nixon is challenging Republican Senator Ashley Moody.
• In Georgia, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff will face Republican Mike Collins.
• In Maine, Republican Senator Susan Collins faces Democrat Troy Jackson.
• In New Hampshire, Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas is running against Republican John Sununu, a former senator.
• In North Carolina, Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley are running.