US Midterm Elections 2026: When Polls Close, Key Senate Races To Watch

The first polling stations in the 2026 US midterm elections closed at 6 pm Eastern Time (ET) on Tuesday, November 3, with polls across the country set to close in stages until 1 am on Wednesday. While news organisations began projecting winners soon after polls closed, the outcome of several closely contested races could take hours or days to become clear.

The elections will determine control of the US Congress, with all 435 House seats and 35 Senate contests, including two special elections, at stake. Voters are also choosing governors in 36 states, alongside candidates for state legislatures and local offices. The results will shape the balance of power in Congress and determine how much room President Donald Trump has to advance his legislative agenda during the remaining two years of his term.

Poll closures do not mark the end of vote counting. The time taken to declare results will vary by state, depending on its counting rules, the processing of mail-in ballots and the margins between candidates.

When Do Polls Close Across The US?

The first polling stations will close at 6 pm ET in parts of Indiana and Kentucky. However, statewide winners in either state cannot be declared until the remaining polling stations close at 7 pm, according to the Associated Press (AP).

At 7 pm, polls will close across Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia, as well as the remaining parts of Indiana and Kentucky. Most of Florida will also finish voting at this time, although polling stations in its Central Time Zone will remain open until 8 pm. North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia will follow at 7:30 pm.

The 8 pm window will include Pennsylvania, Maine, New Hampshire and most of Michigan and Texas. The remaining polling stations in Michigan and Texas will close at 9 pm. Arkansas will close at 8:30 pm.

Polls will close at 9 pm ET in 15 states: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Arizona is an exception: its polls close at 9 pm ET, but the first batch of results is typically released around 10 pm ET (one hour after polls close).

AP places Montana, Nevada and Utah in the 10 pm group, alongside some polling stations in eastern Idaho and Oregon. California and Washington, along with the remaining polling stations in Idaho and Oregon, will close at 11 pm. Hawaii and most of Alaska will finish voting at midnight, with the final polling stations in Alaska's Aleutian Islands closing at 1 am.

Which States Could Deliver Results First?

The time taken to count votes varies across states. Figures from the 2024 general election show how quickly some states reported their votes, although the 2026 counting process may differ.

The Senate races in Georgia and South Carolina are among those to watch when polls close at 7 pm ET. North Carolina and Ohio follow at 7:30 pm, while polls in Florida, Maine and New Hampshire close at 8 pm. Senate contests in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska and Texas will be among those to watch later in the night. Alaska's Senate race is also closely watched.

In 2024, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia counted half their votes during the 8 pm hour. Georgia reached 90% by 10:21 pm, South Carolina by 11:14 pm and Virginia by 12:07 am.

North Carolina and Ohio reached around 90% during the 11 pm hour. The Associated Press called the 2024 Ohio Senate race at 11:27 pm. Florida had counted 90% of its votes by 8:07 pm.

Counting took longer in several other states. Pennsylvania reached 90% at 12:48 am and New Hampshire at 1:42 am. Maine had counted half its votes by 12:54 am. Michigan reached 90% at 4:50 am.

These 2024 figures provide historical context and do not indicate when states will complete counting or when the 2026 races will be called.

Why Could Results Take Hours Or Days?

The United States does not have a single nationwide system for counting ballots. Elections are administered locally, and states have different rules for processing early votes, mail-in ballots and votes cast on Election Day.

The Guardian explains that paper ballots are generally tabulated by machines, with partial hand counts and audits used to check results. Election officials often release figures in batches. Some states also allow ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive and be counted later.

Ballot curing can add to the time required. It allows voters to correct certain problems with their mail ballots, such as missing information or signature discrepancies. These ballots may be among the last to be included in the count.

The way ballots are counted can also change the lead in a race. The Guardian describes this as a “red mirage” or “blue shift”, when a Republican candidate leads in early returns but loses that advantage as more ballots, including mail-in votes, are counted. Such changes reflect the order and composition of the ballots being tabulated, not evidence of wrongdoing.

California and Washington, where voting is conducted primarily by mail, illustrate why results may take longer. AP reported that around 38% of California's votes and 33% of Washington's votes remained uncounted on election night in 2024. Washington reached 90% of its count by November 9, while California reached the same point on November 14.

How Are Winners Declared And When Are Results Final?

News organisations use unofficial vote counts, estimates of outstanding ballots and statistical analysis to project winners. These projections are separate from the official results declared after the counting and certification process.

Reuters reported that many television networks and digital outlets rely on vote counts from the Associated Press (AP) or election-data firm Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ). Some networks make their own projections using AP vote counts, exit polls, early-voting totals, historical data and statistical models.

AP estimates how many votes remain uncounted using past voting patterns and early-voting data. It calls a race only when its analysis indicates that the trailing candidate cannot catch up. DDHQ collects figures from official election websites and supplements them with reporters on the ground. Its final projections require unanimous agreement from its team and approval from its head of data science.

“We’re preparing to have several thousand people working on election night to gather data,” DDHQ's Scott Tranter told Reuters.

Reuters has reported instances in which AP and DDHQ withdrew race calls after subsequent vote counts changed the projected outcome.

The Guardian notes that results are not considered final until local authorities complete canvassing and certification. Close contests may also trigger recounts under state laws, extending the process further.

Election-night projections can precede the completion of ballot counting, canvassing and official certification.