It's Election Day: what to know before you vote
Today, Tuesday, November 3, is Election Day for the 2026 midterms. All 435 U.S. House seats, 35 of the Senate's 100 seats and governorships in 36 states are on the ballot, along with state and local races. Poll hours vary by state; the earliest polls opened at 5 a.m. local time in Vermont, and many mail and provisional ballots are counted after election night. In Minnesota, polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., anyone in line by 8 p.m. can vote, and eligible voters can register at the polls with proof of residence. More than 886,000 Minnesota ballots were already in through Sunday, a record for a Minnesota midterm, MPR News reported from Secretary of State data. Voters can find their polling place through their state or local election office; in Minnesota, at pollfinder.sos.mn.gov.
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Why it matters
Every U.S. House seat, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships are decided in today's vote, along with state and local races. Poll hours differ by state, and many mail and provisional ballots are counted after election night. In Minnesota, eligible voters who are not registered can register at the polls with proof of residence.
What to watch
Minnesota polls close at 8 p.m. Central tonight. The earliest polls close at 6 p.m. local time in Indiana and Kentucky, and the last, in Alaska, around 1 a.m. Eastern.
Sources
- Al Jazeera: What time do polls open and close in the US midterm elections 2026?
- TIME: Midterm Elections 2026 live updates
- MPR News: One more sleep until Election Day in Minnesota
- FOX 9: Minnesota election 2026: How to vote and what's on your ballot
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