2026 Midterm Election Countdown

When Is Election Day 2026?

Federal law sets Election Day as the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. In 2026 that is November 3. Because 2026 falls halfway through a presidential term, these are midterm elections — the presidency is not on the ballot, but control of both chambers of Congress is.

The date is fixed, but how you can vote is not: most states offer early in-person voting and mail ballots on their own schedules, generally starting in September or October 2026. Registration deadlines land even earlier in many states — check your state's dates on the 2026 election timeline.

What's on the Ballot

• All 435 House seats. Representatives serve two-year terms, so the entire chamber is elected every midterm and presidential year. See what Democrats need to flip the House and how Republicans could hold it.
• 33 Senate seats (Class II), plus any special elections. Senators serve six-year terms staggered into three classes, so only about a third of the Senate is up in any election year.
• Governors and state offices in many states, along with state legislatures and ballot measures.

Key Dates Between Now and November 3

The road to Election Day runs through the remaining state primaries (August–September 2026), state-by-state voter registration deadlines, and the start of early and mail voting. Track each state's primary date and results:

• 2026 primary calendar — every state's primary date and rules.
• 2026 primary results tracker — who has already won each Senate nomination.
• Full 2026 election timeline — registration deadlines, early voting, Election Day, and certification.

When Does the New Congress Take Office?

Winning candidates do not take office right away. Under the 20th Amendment, the new Congress — the 120th Congress — convenes at noon on January 3, 2027. The two months in between are the lame-duck period, when the outgoing 119th Congress can still pass legislation.