Breaking: Election Day is here! Make your selections for the balance of power

It is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and polls are open across the United States for the midterm election. According to Ballotpedia and USA.gov, this vote determines which party controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term. The stakes are high as voters weigh in on the direction of the country. All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are on the ballot. Republicans currently hold 218 seats, while Democrats hold 214, with one independent and some vacancies. Democrats need a net gain of three districts to secure a majority, whereas Republicans can afford to lose no more than two seats. Ballotpedia has identified 46 battleground districts, split between 25 held by Democrats and 21 held by Republicans.

In the U.S. Senate, 35 of 100 seats are up for election. This includes 33 regular races and two special elections for the remainder of the terms held by Marco Rubio in Florida and JD Vance in Ohio. Republicans hold 53 seats, Democrats hold 45, and two independents caucus with the Democrats. Democrats require a net gain of four seats to take control, while Republicans can lose only two to maintain their majority. Eleven senators are not running again, including four Democrats and seven Republicans. The winners of these races will begin their six-year terms on January 3, 2027. The Associated Press notes that the election is being viewed as a referendum on the president's performance, with many voters expressing frustration over high prices and an unpopular war with Iran.

Thirty-six governorships are also on the ballot. Republicans currently hold 26 governor's offices and Democrats hold 24. In the states where governor races are occurring, each party holds 18 of the offices. Nineteen of these races have no incumbent on the ballot due to term limits or retirements. Democrats would need a net gain of two governorships to achieve a nationwide majority, a status Republicans have held since 2010. The Associated Press reports that Republicans are bracing for the possibility of losing the House while fighting to hold the Senate, with one or two seats potentially tipping the balance in either chamber. Democrats are described as cautiously optimistic about their chances in key districts.

Voters have been turning out in large numbers ahead of today's vote. More than 57 million people had already voted as of Monday, surpassing the early vote totals from four years ago in many closely watched states. The Associated Press notes that President Trump held dozens of rallies to support his party's candidates, ending his schedule in Salina, Kansas, where he told supporters to pretend he was on the ballot. His schedule included stops in Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. Many Republican candidates kept a distance from the president during the campaign. The president has also continued to make claims about voting fraud, including statements that noncitizens vote in large numbers, which has led to legal challenges in Alaska and California.

The financial scale of this election is historic. The 2026 elections will likely be the most expensive in history, according to the Associated Press. Republican committees outraised and outspent their Democratic counterparts, aided by Trump-affiliated groups and support from Elon Musk. However, at the individual candidate level, Democrats outraised their opponents. An analysis of AdImpact data shows that 88.1 percent of Republican general election television ad spending went to states and districts that Trump won in 2024. This included more than 850 million dollars in states where he won by 10 points or more. This spending strategy reflects the focus on holding Republican strongholds while competing in toss-up races.

Key Senate battlegrounds include Maine, which is rated a toss-up by all four major race ratings groups. In Iowa, the race is considered a toss-up or a tilt toward the Republicans. Kansas is seen as a toss-up to a lean toward the Republicans, while Alaska is a toss-up to a lean toward the Democrats. Michigan is a toss-up to a lean toward the Democrats, and Georgia is a lean to likely Democratic race. The Associated Press highlights several key matchups. In North Carolina, Democratic former Governor Roy Cooper faces former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley. In Georgia, Senator Jon Ossoff faces Representative Mike Collins. In Ohio, former Senator Sherrod Brown faces Senator Jon Husted. In Michigan, former Representative Mike Rogers faces Abdul El-Sayed, whose former primary opponent Haley Stevens endorsed Rogers on Sunday.

In Texas, Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton faces Democrat James Talarico. In Maine, Senator Susan Collins faces former state Senate President Troy Jackson, with the Associated Press noting that economic strain and tariffs have made the state competitive. In New Hampshire, Representative Chris Pappas faces former Senator John E. Sununu. In Minnesota, Democratic Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and Republican Michele Tafoya are among four candidates running for the seat of retiring Senator Tina Smith. Kansas, a reliably Republican state, has become central to the fight for Senate control. In Alaska, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit related to the certification of the Senate result, adding another layer of complexity to the race.

Governor races are also intense in several states. Democrats are defending five governorships in states that Trump won in 2024, including Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Republicans are defending two governorships in states that Harris won, specifically New Hampshire and Vermont. In Georgia, Republican health care executive Rick Jackson faces Democratic former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. In Nevada, Republican Governor Joe Lombardo faces Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford. In Ohio, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy faces Democrat Amy Acton. Ramaswamy's campaign faced backlash over an advertisement featuring Acton's estranged mother. The Associated Press also identifies Texas, Florida, and Iowa as competitive governor races.

The mood among voters is mixed, with many expressing anger over the cost of living. In Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, voter Mark Barker said he has been following the president the whole time and believes he is doing an awesome job. In Raleigh, North Carolina, James Moore, a 57-year-old librarian, stated that he is paying more taxes, more for healthcare, and more for everything. The Associated Press reports that 35 percent of U.S. adults approve of the president's job performance, while 25 percent approve of his handling of the economy. About seven in 10 people say the country is heading in the wrong direction, with most blaming the president for high prices. If Democrats win even one chamber, investigations and possible impeachment proceedings become likely.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries would be the first Black speaker if his party takes control, and he has outlined a 100-day agenda focused on the cost of living and oversight. A strong Democratic night would also boost potential 2028 candidates such as Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, and Pete Buttigieg, while potentially complicating the path for Vice President JD Vance. Republicans attempted to beat the historical midterm pattern, where a president's party almost always loses seats, by using redistricting. However, new districts in Florida and elsewhere may not vote as drawn. Six states are using new congressional maps after mid-decade redistricting: California, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Ohio is also using a new map.