U S Midterm Elections 2026

Democrats win Senate

50 seats midpoint
Democrats. 54 seats. 7 seats gained.
Republicans. 44 seats. 7 seats lost.

Democrats win House

218 seats to win
Democrats. 228 seats. 25 seats gained.
Republicans. 139 seats. 25 seats lost.

Full results

Summary

Live Reporting

Edited by Jenna Moon, Ben Hatton and Matt Spivey, with correspondents across the US

  1. Iran war looms large as Americans head to the polls

    Lyse Doucet
    Chief international correspondent

    Opinion polls show Donald Trump's war in Iran is deeply unpopular.

    His gamble sent prices soaring, and sparked protests from Democrats and Republicans too that he’s waging war without permission from Congress.

    And there's no sign the vital Strait of Hormuz will open soon. Diesel and gasoline, food and fertiliser – they're all affected.

    When the US, backed by Israel, went to war in February, they said it would all be over within four to six weeks. Trump proclaims "one of the greatest things we’ve done" is stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

    US strikes on its nuclear sites in 2025 inflicted significant damage. But this year’s on-off talks made little progress.

    Despite tactical success in destroying parts of Iran’s arsenal, Trump's war is widely regarded as a strategic failure; it has only hardened and emboldened its leaders.

    And Americans will cast ballots amid reports another escalation is on the agenda.

    The price of a gallon of diesel - which was $3.75 before the war started in February - hit a record high of $6.52 in September. This picture shows prices in Columbus, Ohio, on MondayGetty Images

    The price of a gallon of diesel - which was $3.75 before the war started in February - hit a record high of $6.52 in September. This picture shows prices in Columbus, Ohio, on Monday

  2. Obama: Sick and tired, Americans crave change

    Barack Obama holds the raised hands of Democratic candidates during campaigning.Barack Obama / X

    Following weeks of campaigning in key battleground states for the Democrats, former US President Barack Obama said people were fed up of life under Donald Trump's Republicans and were ready for something different:

    All across the country, I've heard from folks who are sick and tired of what they're seeing from politicians right now. This election day, we have the power to vote for the candidates who will bring about the change we need."

    He made those comments on X on the eve of Tuesday's polls, highlighting the senate races in the key states of Georgia, Ohio and Michigan.

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  3. Watch: Why the stakes are high for Trump - in under a minute

    The midterms will be seen by many as the final voter verdict on Trump before his term ends in 2028, setting the scene for the rest of his presidency.

    So what's he got to gain – or lose?

    Our North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher explains.

  4. Trump signs off midterm campaign with Reflecting Pool speech

    US President Donald Trump at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026Get

    Trump wrapped up his pre-midterm campaign with a speech at the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC.

    He brought out placards showing images of the restoration alongside the slogan: "Back, and more beautiful than ever!"

    The BBC's North America editor Sarah Smith, who was at the speech, described the opening as "utterly bizarre".

    After 25 minutes, Trump turned to the elections, calling Democratic Party nominees "the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history".

    The president described US personal incomes as the "highest in history", and touched on immigration and the Iran war.

  5. Remind me, what are the US midterms?

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  6. Polls open in the state of Vermont

    LIBRARY PHOTO: A man arrives at a polling station on the first day of early voting for the US midterm elections in New York on Monday 26 October 2026. Next to him is a sign that says "vote here" in English, Spanish and Chinese.AFP

    Voters on the eastern seaboard are the first to have their say in Tuesday's elections

    Polls are opening in the eastern state of Vermont, where it's 05:00. At least 30% of voters have already cast their ballots.

    Polls will open in others parts of the US east coast in an hour's time, including New York, New Jersey, Virginia and Maine.

  7. Analysis

    It's election day in the US - and there's a lot at stake

    Anthony Zurcher
    North America correspondent

    Election day in the US is here at last, and there’s a lot on the line. Control of both chambers of Congress – the House of Representatives and the Senate – are up for grabs.

    Americans in many states that could become pivotal battlegrounds in the 2028 presidential contest are also deciding who controls their legislatures and governorships.

    Five states are voting on issues related to transgender rights, several others have abortion-related measures and Californians are considering a controversial new billionaire wealth tax.

    For Democratic voters, this is the first chance most will have to cast ballots in a federal election since their crushing defeat in the 2024 presidential contest. Republicans, meanwhile, will attempt to ensure that Donald Trump has a friendly Congress to work with for the last two years of his White House tenure.

    While public opinion polls – and historical trends – suggest the out-of-power Democrats are in for a good night, nothing is certain until the votes are counted. That will all begin this evening, when the first polls close on the East Coast.

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    Follow the twists and turns of Trump's second term with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher's US Politics Unspun newsletter. Readers in the UK can sign up here. Those outside the UK can sign up here.