Election Day 2026: Polls open with control of Congress at stake
Voters across the country are choosing who controls the U.S. House and Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections. More than 54 million ballots were cast before Election Day, NPR reported, and the first polls close at 6 p.m. ET.
The math: Democrats need to flip three House seats and four Senate seats to take control of the chambers, The Associated Press reported. NPR reported that Democrats are favored to win the House, while the Senate outcome is uncertain.
When polls close: The first polls close at 6 p.m. ET in eastern parts of Indiana and Kentucky, CBS News reported. In Maryland, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. The last polls close at 1 a.m. ET in Alaska.
Be patient: NPR said results in many close races may not be known on election night and could take days or weeks to count.