Voting begins at 5 a.m. ET on Tuesday in Vermont, while most other states will open polls between 6 and 8 a.m. ET. Hawaii will see the latest start at noon ET.
The 2026 US mid-term elections are a critical test for Congress. More than 57 million people have already cast their ballots, with 47 states and Washington, D.C. offering early voting, excluding Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire.
Polling stations in Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia open at 6 a.m. North Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia follow at 6:30 a.m. Delaware, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina open at 7 a.m.
Polls open at 8 a.m. in Alabama, Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin; at 8:30 a.m. in Arkansas; at 9 a.m. in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming; at 10 a.m. in California, Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon; at 11 a.m. in Alaska and Washington; and at noon in Hawaii.
Polls will close first in eastern Indiana and Kentucky at 6 p.m. ET; Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia at 7 p.m. ET; North Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia at 7:30 p.m. ET; and most of the Northeast and Midwest at 8 p.m. ET.
Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin close at 9 p.m. ET; California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington at 11 p.m. ET; Hawaii at midnight ET; and Alaska at 1 a.m. ET. Voters in line at the time of closing retain the right to cast their ballots.
Voter ID requirements vary by state. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, and many states offer ballot tracking.
Polling locations can be verified via local registrars, Vote.org, and the National Association of Secretaries of State. Voters may use a provisional ballot if registration disputes arise.
The 2026 midterms are being closely watched by international observers and domestic analysts alike, as the results will determine the legislative agenda for the remainder of the current administration's term. Election officials have urged all eligible citizens to check their designated polling places well in advance to avoid any last-minute confusion or delays during the voting process.