US midterm polls close as early results skew Republican
The gist
Polls began closing Tuesday at 6pm EST in parts of Indiana and Kentucky, with 56,144,276 early votes cast.
Early leads can flip as mail ballots are counted, so control may take days.
How it unfolded
- Nov 3, 2026 18:00 ESTFirst results expected as polls begin closing in parts of Indiana and Kentucky; Axios expects the first House returns from those states.
- Nov 3, 2026 19:00 ESTPolls close in most of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia and most of New Hampshire; fast-counting Florida gives Republicans an early boost in House races.
- Nov 3, 2026 19:30 ESTPolls close in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia; early Democratic leads in Ohio are the ones to watch.