World
US Midterm Election 2026: Poll Opening and Closing Times Across States
The 2026 U.S. midterm election will see polling stations open at different times depending on the state. Vermont’s polls are scheduled to open first at 5 a.m. local time (10:00 GMT). New Jersey, Virginia, Connecticut and Kentucky will begin voting at 6 a.m. local time (11:00 GMT). In Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania and New York, voting will start between 6 a.m. (11:00 GMT) and 7 a.m. (12:00 GMT). Ohio and North Carolina will open at 6:30 a.m. (11:30 GMT), and Michigan will open at 7 a.m. (12:00 GMT).
Polls close at varying times as well. The earliest closing times are 6 p.m. local time (23:00 GMT) in Indiana and Kentucky. Michigan’s polls close at 8 p.m., Kansas at 7 p.m. local time (both 01:00 GMT on Wednesday), and Iowa at 8 p.m. (02:00 GMT on Wednesday). Alaska’s polls close last, around 1 a.m. Eastern Time (06:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
The election day, Tuesday, will feature contests for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 of the 100 Senate seats, and gubernatorial races in 36 states. Republicans currently hold both chambers of Congress.
Results will begin to appear as polls close on Tuesday and will continue to be reported throughout the evening and into Wednesday as more states finish voting and officials release counts. Early results do not guarantee a final outcome; election officials process ballots and news organizations, such as the Associated Press, analyze the data to determine when a race can be called. Close contests may take hours or days to resolve.
Voters may cast ballots by mail, early in person, or on election day. Mail, provisional and other ballots are counted after election night, which can delay final tallies by days or weeks.
Key races to watch include: - Michigan: Democrat Abdul El‑Sayed vs. Republican Mike Rogers, after Representative Haley Stevens endorsed Rogers. - Florida: Democrat Angie Nixon vs. Republican Senator Ashley Moody. - Georgia: Democrat Senator Jon Ossoff vs. Republican Mike Collins. - Maine: Republican Senator Susan Collins vs. Democrat Troy Jackson. - New Hampshire: Democrat Representative Chris Pappas vs. Republican John Sununu. - North Carolina: Democrat Roy Cooper vs. Republican Michael Whatley.
Frequently asked questions
When do Vermont polling stations open?
Vermont’s polls open at 5 a.m. local time (10:00 GMT).
Which states have the earliest closing times?
The earliest closing times are 6 p.m. local time (23:00 GMT) in Indiana and Kentucky.