The 2026 midterms are here. Tuesday is election day. WRAL has live updates here throughout the day – from potential poll issues to key race results. Check back throughout the day for the latest news. Here’s what you need to know right now.
See WRAL’s complete election guide.
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3:00 p.m.: Early voting results tonight will be delayed at least 45 minutes until 8:15 p.m. This is due to problems at polling places in a handful of counties across the state that resulted in the normal closing of polls to 7:30 p.m. in a few precincts. Authorities had previously estimated that results could be delayed by an hour.
2:30 p.m.: The Wilson Recreation Center, 500 Sunset Road NW, will be open for an additional 15 minutes this evening.
1:45 p.m.: President Trump is making sure North Carolina voters know he is supporting U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) in today’s election. Republican state lawmakers redrew Murphy’s district, on Trump’s orders, to take on the neighboring district held by Democratic Rep. Don Davis.
Making Davis’ district more Republican-friendly also made Murphy’s district more competitive for Democrats. And now that Democratic voters are rallying in droves in the midterms, some in the Republican Party fear the plan could backfire if Davis is re-elected anyway and Murphy also ends up losing.
Trump’s social media post praising Murphy and criticizing his Democratic opponent Raymond Smith follows recent in-person rallies for Murphy hosted by Vice President JD Vance and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson in Kinston and Jacksonville.
12 p.m.: The North Carolina State Board of Elections said the release of election results could be pushed back from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Officials are considering whether to extend voting hours at polling stations in four counties hit by technical problems.
11:00 a.m.: In a news conference, the North Carolina State Board of Elections said it was monitoring minor technical issues in precincts in four counties, including Wilson, where voters at Vinson-Bynum Elementary School reported delays.
The State Board of Elections said minor disruptions could occur on Election Day and that it was working with election staff to develop contingency plans.
9:00 a.m.: The North Carolina State Board of Elections will hold an emergency meeting Tuesday at 2 p.m. to review any reported issues at polling locations and determine whether to recommend extending voting hours in affected precincts, according to spokesman Jason Tyson. Tyson said the meeting was an integral part of Election Day operations and was classified as an emergency meeting only to meet public notice requirements.
8:30 a.m.: Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley addressed Clayton voters as they went to the polls. His opponent, Democrat Roy Cooper, will meet with voters at 9 a.m. in Raleigh.
8:00 a.m.: Jason Tyson, a spokesman for the North Carolina State Board of Elections, told WRAL News officials were investigating a possible problem at Vinson-Bynum Elementary School, a polling place in Wilson.
“Our elections administration team is reaching out to the county to see if there is currently a problem at Vinson-Bynum Elementary School,” Tyson said. “We are looking into the matter and will update as soon as we have correspondence from the county.
Tyson added that officials were also monitoring some minor delays reported earlier Tuesday morning at polling places in Lenoir, Wilson and Hertford counties.
6:30 a.m.: Polls were open across the state.
How to vote
How, when and where to vote: Polls statewide close at 7:30 p.m. Those voting today will need to bring acceptable identification and travel to their assigned precinct. To learn how to double-check this information or find a sample ballot showing which races you can vote in, see WRAL’s Election Day voting guide.
Key races
U.S. Senate: Voters will decide Tuesday who becomes North Carolina’s next U.S. senator — a decision that could affect not only the state’s political trajectory but that of Congress as a whole. Democrats need to flip four Senate seats nationwide to take back the Senate. Democrat Roy Cooper has always been well ahead of Republican Michaely Whatley in recent polls. Libertarian Shannon Bray and the Green Party’s Michael Dublin are also candidates.
US House of Representatives: Democrats hope to take control of the US House of Representatives. North Carolina voters could impact which party holds power by deciding the race between Democratic U.S. Rep. Don Davis and Republican Laurie Buckhout — a rematch starting in 2024. They are running to represent the state’s 1st Congressional District, which state lawmakers redrew to favor a GOP candidate. But Davis managed to win the support of moderates and some Republicans in the district. No other Democratic seats are likely to turn red. But Democrats hope they can keep the 1st District and possibly turn another district blue.
North Carolina General Assembly: For nearly a decade, Republicans have held enough seats in the House and Senate to easily implement many of their proposals, even over the objections of Democratic governors. Democrats hope to win enough seats to strengthen Democratic Gov. Josh Stein’s veto power. Analysts believe there is an outside chance that Democrats will take control of at least one of the two chambers controlled by the Republican Party.
Proposed constitutional amendments: North Carolina voters will decide Tuesday on three proposed amendments to the state constitution: efforts by state lawmakers to limit income tax rates and property tax increases, and to make it harder to change the state’s voter ID rules.
North Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals: One seat on the state Supreme Court is up for grabs, as are three seats on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Whoever wins could influence decisions in the years to come on issues ranging from redistricting to the death penalty, power struggles between the Legislature and governor, electricity costs and much more. Democratic Justice Anita Earls is seeking a second eight-year term on the North Carolina Supreme Court. Republican Sarah Stevens, a longtime member of the state’s legislative leadership, is also running for the seat.
Local ballots
Wake County School Board: Voters in the state’s largest public school district will also elect members of the Wake County School Board. Four seats on the board of directors are up for grabs. At least two of them will be replaced by entirely new faces, as two incumbents chose not to run for election to the nine-member board. Whoever the next school board is, it will face budget constraints and high demands for additional resources and additional facility repairs. The school board oversees the superintendent, develops policies and sets the school district’s budget, which is $2.2 billion.
Wake School Bond: Wake County voters will decide Tuesday whether to approve a $680 million loan for the Wake County public school system, largely focused on renovations and new equipment at existing schools and community colleges. The bond would be funded by a dedicated property tax of $4.10 for every $100,000 of property value.
Other local races: Raleigh City Council seats are up for election this year. Voters in Wake, Durham and Orange counties will also elect new county commissioners, sheriffs, prosecutors and more.
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