Election Day 2026: What to Watch as Polls Close Tonight
Millions of Americans have already cast their ballots during the early voting period, with millions more headed out today to vote in person. Here is a look at what is at stake as the nation heads to the polls for this pivotal midterm election.
Election Day Timeline
Over 59 million votes were cast in the early voting period, according to the University of Florida Election Lab. This total broke out to 31.9 million early in-person votes and 27.1 million returned mail ballots.
The first polls are scheduled to close at 6 pm ET on Tuesday. While it is likely to be a long night for many states with close races, political experts believe that the country will get a good idea about how the night is going for each party on a national scale when the first batches of results start rolling in this evening.
Democrats will need a net gain of three seats to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Recent polling suggests that the Democrats will easily take control of this chamber of Congress. The GOP has spent the last few years embarking on a controversial redistricting strategy to keep their hold in the House. This strategy will be put to the test this election cycle as they defend their position.
It is likely going to be much tighter in the Senate. Democrats will need to have a net gain of four seats in this chamber to become the majority party. Several states are expected to come down to the wire.
When Polls Close and What to Watch
Political pundits will be closely watching the poll closures at 7 pm ET in most of Florida and Georgia. Florida is known to count its votes quickly, meaning that these results could be the first big indication of how things are going for each party. While the Sunshine State is not expected to be competitive for Democrats, tighter than expected races could signal a long night ahead for the GOP.
All eyes will be on Texas at 8 p.m. ET. Texas is another state that typically reports early, thanks to the large number of voters who cast their ballots during the early voting period. For instance, the Lone Star State had 90% of precincts reporting by midnight during the 2024 presidential election. The deep red state has been the center of one of the most hotly contested Senate races this year, as Democrat James Talarico is trying to gain a seat for his party by beating GOP candidate Ken Paxton.
The 9 pm ET hour will be another time frame that will tell us a lot about how the night is unfolding. Polls close in Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska at this time, three states with close Senate races.
The last polls in the U.S. will close in Alaska at 1 am ET. The Last Frontier typically has up to 25% of its vote left to count by the time the polls close, meaning that it could be some time before the results are known. The state's ranked-choice tabulation process can also slow down the final results. This is important as Alaska is another state with a close Senate race that could impact the balance of power on Capitol Hill.
Election Day Integrity
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that about 1,000 election monitors have been dispatched to 126 jurisdictions across all 50 states. Democrats have been expressing concern that the Trump-friendly DOJ could impact the integrity of the election. However, none of the steps that the party has feared have come to fruition. The nation's court systems have blocked the most pressing legal maneuvers from the Trump White House.
For example, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an attempt by the White House to force California to set aside ballots as the administration continues to search for noncitizen voters. Also on Monday night, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration must cease sending voter lists of reported noncitizens to election officials.
Flooding Disrupts Voting in Florida and the Southwest
Weather is also playing a role on Election Day. Flooding has disrupted travel in Florida and portions of the Southwest, forcing some polling locations to relocate. The flooding concerns have also prompted emergency voting accommodations for individuals unable to reach their polling location due to flooded roadways and damaged infrastructure. While the heavy rain is starting to ease in both Florida and across the southwestern U.S., the lingering impacts have continued to disrupt travel.
Voting Machine Problems in Westchester County
New York's suburban Westchester County made headlines this morning when an issue with voting machines accepting ballots forced election officials to place the ballots in emergency bags to be counted later. Local authorities confirmed the ballots would remain in a secure place under monitoring while they work to resolve the problem. These emergency ballots will not be counted until the polls close.
While Westchester County leans heavily Democratic, it is home to a close race involving incumbent GOP Rep. Mike Lawler going up against Democrat Cait Conley. The race is considered to be a toss-up.
Ballot Shortage in Kansas
There have also been issues coming out of a polling place in Leavenworth County, Kansas. According to officials with the Kansas Secretary of State's Office, only 100 paper ballots were ordered for the site at the Linwood Community Building rather than the 100,000 needed. Bryan Caskey, state Director of Elections, said that only dozens of voters were impacted by the clerical error. Caskey confirmed that impacted voters can return to the Linwood Community Building by 7 pm.
Kansas is another typically deep red state where a Democrat is mounting a serious run for the Senate seat. Democratic nominee Adam Hamilton is challenging incumbent GOP Sen. Roger Marshall. Recent polling indicates that the race is a toss-up heading into Election Day.
Stay with us as we continue to keep tabs on how Election Day unfolds across the U.S.
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