US voters head to polls for midterm elections on November 3

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 2 Nov, 05:44 · Archive

Americans vote on November 3, 2026, to elect House, Senate and state governors.

US voters will head to the polls on November 3, 2026, for midterm elections to elect members of the House of Representatives, Senate and governors across the country. Early voting has been underway for weeks. Democrats need to gain a net four seats in the House to win control from Republicans, who currently hold a 218–214 majority with two vacancies and one independent who caucuses with Republicans. Democrats are also fighting for the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53–47 majority and Democrats need four additional seats to gain control.

Ten races, including those in Maine, Ohio, North Carolina, Iowa and Georgia, could determine the overall outcome. More than 100 million votes are expected to be cast if turnout matches 2022 levels, though this is fewer than the 155 million cast in the 2024 presidential election.

A record $11.6 billion has been spent on political advertisements for the 2025–26 election cycle as of October 30, with top spending in battleground Senate races in Texas, Ohio and Michigan. According to campaign finance records, Elon Musk alone has spent $442 million supporting Republicans. Midterm elections typically favour the party not holding the White House or Congress.

How it is being reported

• The 2026 midterms, explained: What’s at stake for Trump, Congress, and the balance of powerRecent history tells the story of the shockwaves a midterm election can produceIndependent World · 2 Nov, 08:15
• The meaning of the midtermsThis week will tell us many important things about the future of American politicsFinancial Times · 2 Nov, 05:00
• Everything you need to know about this week's US midterm electionsRecent history tells the story of the shockwaves a midterm election can produceIndependent World · 1 Nov, 17:39

In this story: Democratic Party · Republican Party · Elon Musk · United States · Texas · Ohio · Michigan · Maine

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log