US Midterm Elections: What to Know Before the Nov 3 Vote
US midterm elections take place on November 3, with more than 54 million early votes cast and control of the House and Senate at stake. What to know.
The US midterm elections take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with control of both houses of Congress at stake for the last two years of President Donald Trump's term. More than 54 million Americans had already voted early, according to the University of Florida Voting Lab, as cited by CBS News.
Why the US midterm elections matter
Midterms fall halfway through a presidential term. Every seat in the House of Representatives is up for election, along with about a third of the Senate. The results will decide whether President Trump keeps a friendly Congress or faces a divided government.
In an interview reported by CBS News, Trump said he would become "Mr. Veto" if Democrats win control of Congress. He added that he would probably end up making deals with them.
The battle for the House
Republicans hold a very slim House majority: 218 seats plus one independent who usually votes with them, against 214 for the Democrats, with two seats vacant. CBS News has identified 47 battleground districts likely to decide control. Democrats hold 20 of them and Republicans 27.
On October 25, the CBS News Battleground Tracker estimated that Democrats were on course for about 229 seats. Its range ran from 215 to 237, so a narrow Republican win was still possible.
Key Senate races to watch
Republicans control the Senate 53-47. CBS News lists 11 races that could decide the chamber:
- Republican-held: Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas
- Democratic-held: Georgia, Michigan and New Hampshire
Michigan has been the most dramatic. Democratic Representative Haley Stevens, who lost the Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed, endorsed Republican nominee Mike Rogers on Sunday. Senior Democrats condemned the move. El-Sayed's campaign said it raised more than $2.4 million that day, a single-day record for the campaign.
In Alaska, a federal judge on Sunday threw out a Justice Department lawsuit that sought to block certification of the state's Senate result. The Justice Department has filed a notice of appeal.
Final day of campaigning
Trump held what he called his 30th and final rally on Sunday in Salina, Kansas, after an earlier stop in Dubuque, Iowa. He also planned an event at the Reflecting Pool in Washington on Monday. Vice President JD Vance was due at a rally in northern New York, where Republicans are defending a seat.
When results arrive in Thailand
Polls close on Tuesday evening US time, so readers in Thailand should expect the first results from Wednesday morning, November 4, local time. Close races may take longer to call.
Washington's direction matters for Thailand's economy, from trade talks to tariffs. Earlier coverage looked at how Trump tariffs hit the Thai housing market and why Thai pig farmers opposed US pork imports during tariff talks.