Historic turnout powered Democrats' blue wave
The gist
Democrats won control of Congress in the 2026 midterms, with 49% of eligible Americans voting.
That is the second-highest US turnout since 1914.
How it unfolded
- Nov 3, 2026Democrats take control of Congress from Republicans and cement control in New Mexico, where the party holds all state and federal elected offices. In Texas, some 9.8 million voters cast ballots, the most in a Texas midterm since at least 1970.
- Nov 4, 2026The Texas Tribune reports that turnout surges in urban and border counties carried Democrats to a statewide sweep. Roll Call reports Democrats captured the Senate, gaining at least seven seats and possibly up to nine, with four needed for a majority.
- Nov 7, 2026The Washington Post reports midterm turnout reached its second-highest peak in more than a century, with 49 percent of eligible Americans voting, per preliminary University of Florida Election Lab data.
Key terms
- midterms
- US general elections held near the midpoint of a president's four-year term, when all House seats and about a third of Senate seats are contested.
- Congress
- The two houses of the U.S. legislature: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
- majority
- More than half of the seats or votes in a legislature, enough to control decisions.
Source: Wikipedia