Midterm Voting Begins in Vermont
Over 230 million eligible voters will select all House seats and 35 Senate seats, with results potentially taking days to finalize.
By Tessa Cooper ·
Voting begins at 5:00 a.m. in Vermont, marking the start of the 2026 United States midterm elections. More than 230 million eligible voters across the country are scheduled to cast ballots on Tuesday. The election will determine the membership of both chambers of Congress and the governorships in 36 states.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election. Additionally, 35 of the 100 Senate seats are being contested. Republicans currently hold the majority in both chambers. Democrats require a net gain of four Senate seats to secure a majority in that body. In the House, Democrats need to gain three seats to take control.
Polling hours vary by state. New Jersey, Virginia, Connecticut, and Kentucky open at 6:00 a.m. Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New York open between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Ohio and North Carolina begin voting at 6:30 a.m. Michigan opens at 7:00 a.m. The first polls close at 6:00 p.m. in Indiana and Kentucky.
Other states close at later times. Kansas closes at 7:00 p.m. Michigan closes at 8:00 p.m. Iowa closes at 8:00 p.m. Alaska is the final state to close, with polls shutting around 1:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. Election officials release vote counts as ballots are processed. News organizations, such as the Associated Press, analyze these results to determine when a race can be called.
Many mail, provisional, and other ballots are counted after election night. This process means tallies can take several days or weeks to finalize. Closely contested races may take hours or even days to resolve. It may not be immediately clear which party will control Congress.
Several key races draw national attention. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers. This contest has drawn scrutiny after Representative Haley Stevens endorsed Rogers on Sunday. In Florida, Democrat Angie Nixon challenges Republican Senator Ashley Moody. In Georgia, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff faces Republican Mike Collins.
In Maine, Republican Senator Susan Collins runs against Democrat Troy Jackson. In New Hampshire, Democratic Representative Chris Pappas faces Republican John Sununu, a former senator. In North Carolina, Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley appear on the ballot. Voters may cast ballots by mail, early, or in person on election day.
