United States Midterm elections 2026 (Congress — House & Senate) — Live Results & Map
Live results will appear here on this page once counting begins on election day. This page updates automatically as official figures are released.
Government and coalitions
In office now
Donald Trump (Republican) has been president since 20 January 2025, and his party holds both chambers of the 119th Congress. The Clerk of the House records 218 Republicans, 214 Democrats, one independent and two vacancies in the 435-seat House of Representatives, where 218 is a majority; Mike Johnson is Speaker and Hakeem Jeffries the minority leader.
The Senate stands at 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents. John Thune is majority leader and Chuck Schumer the Democratic leader, and Vice-President JD Vance holds the casting vote as president of the Senate. The president is not on the ballot on 3 November; the midterms elect the 120th Congress.
What control turns on
American parties do not form coalitions. Each chamber is controlled outright by whichever party holds more seats, so the midterms are two separate contests for two majorities, decided seat by seat in the states.
Every House seat is filled afresh. At the certified 2024 result the chamber divided 220 Republicans to 215 Democrats, so a net gain of three would carry the Democrats to the 218 seats a majority needs. Only about a third of the Senate is renewed each cycle, and from 53 Republican seats the Democrats and the two independents would need a net gain of four to reach 51: a 50–50 Senate leaves control with the Republicans, because the vice-president breaks ties. Governorships and thousands of state and local offices are decided the same day and do not bear on either congressional majority.
About this election
Overview
The United States holds its midterm elections on 3 November 2026, the nationwide vote held halfway through a presidential term. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up, along with about 35 of the 100 Senate seats and 39 governorships, plus thousands of state and local offices. Coming two years into Donald Trump's second, non-consecutive presidency, the 2026 midterms function as the first national verdict on his administration and on the Republican Party's control of Washington — and they will determine whether that control survives in the 120th Congress or gives way to divided government.
The electoral system
Congressional elections combine two systems. Every member of the House of Representatives is elected for a two-year term by first-past-the-post in a single-member district; the 435 districts are apportioned among the states by population and redrawn after each census, so redistricting battles shape the playing field. The Senate is renewed by thirds: senators serve six-year terms, and the "Class 2" seats — about a third of the chamber — are contested in 2026, each by a statewide plurality (with run-offs in a few states such as Georgia). Governors, who lead the executive branch of each state, are elected separately, mostly to four-year terms. Because the president is not on the ballot, midterms are widely read as a referendum on the party in power, and the president's party has lost House seats in almost every modern midterm.
The political landscape
After the 2024 elections, Republicans hold unified control of the federal government: the presidency under Donald Trump, a narrow House majority, and the Senate. The Democratic Party, in opposition, is seeking to recapture at least one chamber to act as a check on the administration. American politics remains intensely polarised and closely divided, with control of the House in particular hinging on a few dozen competitive suburban and exurban districts, and Senate control turning on a handful of battleground states. Independent voters, turnout differentials between presidential and midterm years, and the president's approval rating are the variables that historically decide the outcome.
The last elections (2024)
In 2024 Donald Trump won the presidency and Republicans secured both chambers of Congress, giving the party a governing "trifecta".
| 2024 result | Republicans | Democrats |
| House of Representatives (435) | 220 | 215 |
| Senate (100) | 53 | 47 |
The House majority is among the narrowest in modern history, so even a small national swing in 2026 could flip control. A majority in the House requires 218 seats; in the Senate, 51 (or 50 with the vice-president).
What to watch in 2026
The central questions are whether Democrats can ride the historic midterm penalty against the president's party to retake the House, whether the more favourable 2026 Senate map lets them contest the upper chamber, and how the economy, immigration, and the conduct of the Trump administration shape the national mood. Governorships in big states, ballot measures on issues such as abortion, and the redistricting fights that have redrawn maps in several states add further stakes. The generic-ballot polling and the president's approval rating will be the headline indicators on the night.
Regional patterns
America's electoral geography is deeply entrenched: Democrats dominate the coasts and large metropolitan areas, Republicans the rural interior and much of the South and Plains, with the contest decided in the suburbs of swing states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina. ElectioMap will map results by state and, for the presidential-level comparison, by the patterns that decide House and Senate control as returns come in.
How ElectioMap will cover it
This page will track the battle for the House and Senate and the governorships as results are reported state by state on election night, with a national map. Figures are compiled from the certifying state election authorities and the Associated Press-style tabulations that US media rely on.
Frequently asked questions
When are the 2026 US midterm elections?
They are held on 3 November 2026. All 435 House seats are up, along with about 35 of the 100 Senate seats and 39 governorships, plus thousands of state and local offices. The president is not on the ballot.
Why do midterms matter?
Held halfway through a presidential term, midterms are read as a referendum on the party in power — here, Donald Trump's Republicans, who hold the White House and both chambers. They decide control of the 120th Congress and so whether the president faces a friendly or divided legislature.
How are the House and Senate elected?
House members serve two-year terms, elected by first-past-the-post in single-member districts apportioned by population. Senators serve six-year terms with one-third renewed each cycle; the Class 2 seats are contested in 2026, by statewide plurality (with run-offs in a few states).
What was the 2024 result?
Republicans won a governing trifecta: the presidency under Donald Trump, the House by 220 seats to 215, and the Senate by 53 to 47. The narrow House majority means even a small national swing could flip control in 2026.
When will results be available?
Results are reported state by state through election night and the following days. ElectioMap will track the battle for the House, Senate and governorships with a national map as returns come in.
Compiled and reviewed from official results by ElectioMap. See our data methodology.
Understanding this election
- Why Official Results Sometimes Take Weeks — the stages between the count and the legal result
- Why Turnout Figures Disagree — why two sources publish different turnout for one election
- Why We Don’t Call an Election Early — why a partial count cannot support a verdict