Vote counting began Tuesday, Nov. 3, in the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, which will determine control of the House and part of the Senate. (Foto: Instagram)
Vote counting began in the United States on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in midterm elections that will determine control of the House of Representatives and a portion of the Senate. The first polling places began closing at 8 p.m. Brasília time. Early figures pointed to a Democratic advantage in contests for seats in both chambers, a result that could affect President Donald Trump’s ability to advance his agenda.
Results were expected to begin coming in Tuesday night, but a final determination could take days. In the 2022 and 2024 midterms, control of the House was not settled until eight days after voting. Polls closed at different times across the country, beginning with Indiana and Kentucky at 8 p.m. Brasília time. Closures continued through the evening and overnight, with California, Washington and Oregon scheduled to close at 1 a.m. Wednesday, Hawaii at 2 a.m. and Alaska at 3 a.m.
The 2026 midterm cycle includes all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships. Voters are also deciding ballot measures on issues ranging from election administration to abortion access. The election comes as Trump’s approval has fallen amid the prolonged war with Iran and rising living costs, according to the report. Midterms take place every two years between presidential elections and are often seen as a gauge of voters’ views of the sitting administration; the president’s office is not on the ballot.
Democrats are seeking to regain control of both chambers. Before the election, Republicans held 218 seats in the House to Democrats’ 214, and the opposition needed to gain four seats to take control. In the Senate, Republicans held 53 seats, while Democrats and independents aligned with them totaled 47. Democrats would need 51 seats for a majority. Congress writes and passes federal laws and oversees the executive branch, so a change in control could make it harder for the White House to secure passage of priority legislation.
On Monday, Nov. 2, Trump made a roughly 50-minute speech at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, urging voters to help preserve the Republican majority. He called the election the most important of their lives and said, “The Democratic Party has put forward the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history.” He also accused Democrats of favoring open borders, higher taxes, limits on gun ownership and policies that, he said, would raise energy costs and increase immigration. Trump described the country as living through a “golden age,” praised his administration’s economic performance and urged supporters to vote as if he were on the ballot.
Some voters remain dissatisfied with the cost of living, and Republican strategists have expressed concern about Trump focusing on plans to renovate and build monuments and other structures in Washington while Americans face economic difficulties. A Democratic takeover of either chamber would change the relationship between Congress and the White House. House control would give the opposition leadership of congressional committees and tools to summon administration officials, request documents and open investigations, including into government contracts, potential conflicts of interest and actions taken through executive orders.
A Democratic majority could also revive discussion among Democrats of another impeachment effort. The House can bring charges against a president, while the Senate conducts the trial; conviction requires the support of two-thirds of senators. In the Senate, a shift in control could also allow Democrats to impede confirmation of presidential nominees to senior posts, ambassadorships and federal courts, including potential Supreme Court vacancies. Trump could still use executive orders, but would face greater institutional resistance in turning proposals into law. The midterm outcome is also expected to shape political maneuvering ahead of the 2028 presidential election, in which Trump cannot run because he has already served two terms.
