US Midterm Elections 2026: Millions vote early as Republicans and Democrats battle for Congress; when will the results come?

The high-stakes Tuesday elections are here!

Over 54.5 million Americans cast early ballots ahead of Tuesday, as per University of Florida Election Lab figures. Around 30 million voted in person, and 24 million returned ballots by mail, as per reports.

Voters above 65 years of age account for the largest share, i.e 43.1% with second largest aged between 41-65 share 37.6% of total early polling.

As election day is finally here, Democrats reportedly have the momentum in the final stretch, as prediction markets suggest. The first polls close at 6 p.m. US East Coast time on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Betting odds on Kalshi, the biggest prediction market exchange by volume as of October 2026, report: House: Democrats 94%, Republicans 6%, Whoever reaches 218 seats will control the House. However, in the Senate race, Democrats are at 76% and Republicans 25%.

ALSO READ: Betting markets have picked a winner in the US midterms. Here’s how often they get it right

Poll closing time & place

6 p.m. First poll closures in parts of Indiana and Kentucky

7 p.m. Georgia, South Carolina and most of Florida

7:30 p.m. Ohio and North Carolina

8 p.m. Maine, Pennsylvania and other key states

9 p.m. Iowa, New York, Wisconsin and others

Key battleground

Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas are the crucial battlegrounds in the Senate race.

House battlegrounds are scattered across the country, where competitive suburban districts in states such as California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia could play a crucial role in deciding whether Republicans or Democrats will rule Congress.

Taking control of Congress would mean snubbing President Donald Trump in the last two years of his term. The fate of Republicans hangs in the balance with these midterm elections - Will the Iran war and affordability issues hit Republican votes? Or will they retain their wide margin? It could take a while to know.

When will results come?

There is no clear answer to when US voters will know the results. The votes are counted and processed differently across the United States, where some take days and some even weeks to declare the results.