Overview
- Voters will cast ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026 to fill all 435 House seats, roughly 35 Senate seats and governorships in about 39 states.
- Republicans enter the vote with narrow majorities in both chambers, giving this election the power to flip the balance of power in Washington.
- Mid‑October forecast models gave Democrats favorable odds to retake the House and competitive chances in the Senate, though those figures are projections not results.
- Campaign attention has focused on battleground House districts in Iowa, Virginia and Montana and a high‑profile Texas Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton.
- After the vote states will complete counts and certifications with possible recounts or legal challenges before the new Congress is seated on Jan. 3, 2027, a sequence that will shape policy on the budget, nominations and U.S. relations with neighbors like Mexico.