2026 Midterms: Early Voting, Key Dates and the Ballot

The 2026 midterm elections are eight days away, and searches for "when is Election Day," "early voting near me" and "am I registered to vote" are climbing across the United States. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, and tens of millions of people have already cast ballots. This nonpartisan guide explains what is on the ballot, how early voting is going, what is happening in the courts and how to make sure your vote counts.

What we know: what's on the ballot

A midterm election is the general election held halfway through a president's four-year term. Every seat in the House and about a third of the Senate are on the ballot. The 2026 U.S. elections overview lists:

Republicans hold majorities in both the House and the Senate going into the election, so the results will decide which party controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. The two Senate special elections fill seats vacated in January 2025 by Marco Rubio, who became secretary of state, and JD Vance, who became vice president.

How many people have voted early?

Early voting, both in person and by mail, has been running for weeks in many states. The University of Florida Election Lab, which compiles official state reports, showed about 30 million early ballots cast nationwide as of Oct. 26, split roughly evenly between in-person early votes and returned mail ballots. The states reporting the most early votes:

Source: UF Election Lab national data file, updated Oct. 26, 2026. Not every state reports daily, so totals will keep rising.

What early-vote numbers do and don't mean. These counts measure turnout, not results. The Election Lab notes that party-registration figures in its tracker "are not actual votes," and ballots are counted under each state's rules.

How to vote: a quick checklist

Election rules are set by states, so the most reliable information comes from your state or local election office. Use official sources:

1. Check your registration at vote.gov, which links to every state's registration lookup. Some states allow same-day registration; others closed registration weeks ago.
2. Find your state's rules on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission's state-by-state page, which links to each state and local election office.
3. Look up your polling place and hours on your state or county election website. Polling locations can change between elections.
4. If you vote by mail, read your state's deadline carefully. Some states require ballots to arrive by Election Day; others accept ballots postmarked by Election Day. Many states offer ballot tracking.
5. Know the ID rules. Some states require photo ID at the polls and others do not. USA.gov's voting guide explains the options and links to state details.

Tip: Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, two days before Election Day. If you plan to vote early that weekend, double-check your clock.

Court fights to watch

Several election disputes are already in court. Here is where two high-profile cases stood on Oct. 25 and 26:

Alaska Senate race

The U.S. Justice Department sued to stop Alaska from automatically certifying its Senate result if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses to Democrat Mary Peltola. The department argues voters could be confused because a second candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan is on the ballot. Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the suit on CNN and denied it was setting the stage to challenge the result, NPR reported. Peltola's campaign has asked the judge to dismiss the case before Election Day, CNBC reported.

California mail ballots

In California, the Justice Department asked a federal appeals court to make the state set aside about 20,000 mail ballots from voters the federal government flagged as possible noncitizens. A Ninth Circuit panel heard arguments on Sunday and appeared skeptical of the request, according to Politico and the Los Angeles Times. The panel had not ruled as of Monday.

These cases may change before Election Day. Rely on official election offices and established news organizations for updates, and be cautious about unverified claims on social media.

What's next: key dates

• Now through Nov. 2: Early in-person voting continues in many states. Dates and locations vary.
• Sunday, Nov. 1: Clocks fall back one hour in most of the U.S.
• Tuesday, Nov. 3: Election Day. Polls open and close at times set by each state.
• Election night and after: News organizations will project winners where results are clear. Close races may take longer while mail and provisional ballots are counted.
• Later in November and December: States certify official results on their own schedules.
• January 2027: The newly elected 120th Congress is sworn in.

The bottom line

The 2026 midterms will decide control of Congress and dozens of governor's races, and about 30 million Americans have already voted. If you haven't yet, check your registration and your state's deadlines today using official sources like vote.gov. For more on the stories Americans are following this week, see our News section, and read about the Anthropic IPO filing and the World Series.