Today, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, Americans are voting in midterm elections that will decide control of Congress, dozens of governorships and a long list of state and local ballot questions. The president is not on the ballot, but news outlets across the spectrum describe the results as a major test for both parties.
Here is a neutral guide to what is being decided, what each side says it is focused on, and how to find trustworthy official information.
What is on the ballot
- The U.S. House: All 435 seats are up, according to CBS News and NJ.com. Republicans hold a narrow majority. Reports differ slightly on the math because of vacancies and an independent member: the AP says Democrats need to flip three seats, while NJ.com puts the needed net gain at four.
- The U.S. Senate: 35 seats are up. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority, so Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control, according to the AP and NJ.com.
- Governors: 36 states are electing governors, along with many other state and local offices.
- Ballot measures: Voters in many states are deciding statewide and local questions.
Senate contests drawing national attention, according to the AP and CBS, include races in Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas. Governor’s races in Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Florida are also being closely watched, CBS and Fox News reported. Mid-decade redistricting changed roughly one-third of House districts, but the AP found the national map did not shift significantly toward either party.
Notable ballot measures
CBS News highlighted several statewide questions:
- California Prop 40: a proposed one-time 5% tax on billionaires, with money directed to health care, food assistance and education.
- Redistricting: Maryland and Missouri are voting on proposals that would change how congressional maps are drawn.
- Voter ID: proposals in California, Arizona, Colorado and Nevada.
- Ranked-choice voting: Alaska voters will decide whether to repeal it.
- Abortion: measures in Missouri, Idaho and Virginia.
- Data centers: more than 40 local measures in more than a dozen states on construction, zoning and approval rules.
What each party says it is focused on
Republicans are working to keep their Senate majority and defend their narrow House control, CBS reported. In closing pitches, Republican candidates emphasized affordability, home ownership and their records, according to CBS. The AP reported that Republicans have also emphasized social issues. President Trump urged supporters to vote as if he were on the ballot, and Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters stressed turnout.
Democrats are seeking to win back the House and flip Senate seats, including in states President Trump carried in 2024 such as Texas, Iowa, Kansas and Ohio, CBS reported. In closing pitches, Democratic candidates emphasized cost of living, health care and lowering gas and grocery prices, and criticized tariffs and the war with Iran, according to CBS. The AP reported that Democrats have focused on affordability, the president’s approval ratings and public views of the Iran war. Democratic candidates also stressed turnout.
Both sides closed with nearly identical messages about getting voters to the polls:
- Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters, to Fox News: “If our voters turn out, we win.”
- Iowa Democratic Senate candidate Josh Turek, as reported by CBS News: “It will be the difference between winning and losing this election.”
Many Americans have already cast ballots. More than 57 million people had voted early as of Monday afternoon, according to the University of Florida Election Lab, as cited by CBS News.
When results may come
Results will start appearing after polls close tonight, but full results may take longer. CBS News reported that some key races are not expected to be decided on election night. Counting rules differ by state, including for mail and early ballots, and Alaska’s Senate race uses ranked-choice voting, Fox News noted. Results reported on election night are unofficial; states finish counting and certify official results later, on their own timelines.
Local hiccups can also happen. The AP reported that Westchester County, New York, had a machine problem Tuesday morning; officials said ballots would be kept secure in emergency bags and counted. The Navajo Election Administration moved five polling places in Arizona and New Mexico because of flooding.
How to find official voting information
Polling hours, locations, ID rules and mail-ballot deadlines are set by each state and can differ widely. Rather than relying on social media or secondhand information, check official sources:
- Vote.gov, the federal government’s official voter information site, links to each state’s election office.
- Your state or county election office website lists today’s polling hours, your polling place and what to bring.
- If you are in line when polls close, ask a poll worker what your state’s rules allow.
Why it matters for families
Midterm results shape the laws and budgets that touch daily life, from health care and grocery costs to schools and local roads. Many ballots also include local measures and school or county offices that affect neighborhoods directly. Election Day can be a good moment to talk with children about how voting works, why every eligible voice counts, and how to treat neighbors with kindness and respect, whatever the results.
Sources: CBS News, “Here’s what the U.S. is voting on today for the 2026 midterm elections” (November 3, 2026); Associated Press (via KTVN 2 News), “The Latest: Voters will decide control of Congress in major test of Trump’s second term” (November 3, 2026); Fox News, “Election Day 2026: Voters cast ballots with control of Congress on the line” (November 3, 2026); CBS News, “Candidates make final pitches in 2026 midterm campaign” (November 2, 2026); NJ.com via Yahoo News, “Election Day 2026: What to know about the midterms, polls and more” (November 3, 2026); Vote.gov, “Register to vote or update your registration” (accessed November 3, 2026).
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