United States Voters Head to the Polls in 2026 Midterm Elections

Voters across the United States are heading to the polls for the 2026 midterm elections, determining control of Congress as President Trump enters his final two years in office, according to Yahoo News. Democrats are working to regain majorities in both the House and Senate, while Republicans aim to maintain the narrow majorities they have held in both chambers since January 2025.

In the 435-seat House, Republicans currently hold 218 seats and Democrats hold 214 seats. One seat is held by an independent, Representative Kevin Kiley of California, and two vacancies exist following the resignations of Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas and Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida. Approximately 350 of the House seats are not considered competitive, and Democrats require a net gain of four seats to retake control.

Of the 100 seats in the Senate, 35 are contested in this election cycle with about 12 considered competitive. Republicans currently hold 53 seats, compared to 45 held by Democrats, alongside two independents, Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, who caucus with Democrats. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control of the Senate, whereas Republicans can afford a net loss of three seats because a 50-50 split would provide Vice President JD Vance with the tiebreaking vote. Additionally, voters are deciding 36 gubernatorial races and multiple ballot measures.

President Trump, whose approval ratings are at or near all-time lows according to Yahoo News, spent the past month campaigning in battleground states to encourage higher voter turnout and help Republicans prevent potential Democratic gains. Conversely, some members of the GOP have expressed concern about potential electoral losses, with one senior Republican official telling Politico that the evening could prove difficult if early results shift against them.

Ahead of Election Day, the Trump administration indicated it intends to challenge specific election outcomes, specifically focusing on Alaska's U.S. Senate race where two candidates share the name Dan Sullivan, as reported by ABC News. The Republican incumbent faces a retired teacher named Dan J Sullivan on the ballot. Republicans previously sought to remove Dan J Sullivan from the ballot, arguing the candidacy was designed to confuse voters, but the Alaska Supreme Court permitted him to remain.

In response, President Trump directed his administration to file a federal lawsuit aiming to block election certification if the Republican candidate loses. The lawsuit argues that including Daniel J Sullivan taints the electoral results and compromises election integrity, though ABC News notes that legal experts view the lawsuit as having no chance of success.