Midterms 2026 live updates: Election Day voters head to the polls as Democrats look to flip GOP control of the House and Senate

Election Day is here. Today, voters across the United States are heading to the polls to cast their ballots in the 2026 midterms. And with control of Congress up for grabs, the stakes are high for both parties as President Trump heads into his final two years in office.Democrats are seeking to regain control of both the House and Senate, while Republicans, who have held narrow majorities in both chambers since January 2025, are seeking to retain control.In the House, there are 435 seats. And while all of them are technically up for grabs, roughly 80% (or about 350 seats) are not considered competitive. The GOP currently holds 218 seats, compared with 214 held by Democrats. One seat is occupied by an independent (Rep. Kevin Kiley of California), and there are two vacancies (seats formerly held by GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas and Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida, who each resigned). To retake control of the House, Democrats would need a net gain of four seats. In the Senate, there are 100 seats, with 35 up for grabs and 12-or-so considered competitive. Republicans currently hold 53 seats compared with 45 held by Democrats. There are two independents — Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine — who caucus with the Democrats. To wrest back control of the Senate, Democrats would need a net gain of four seats. To maintain Senate control, Republicans could still lose a net of three seats, since a 50-50 split would give Vice President JD Vance the tiebreaking vote.There are also 36 gubernatorial races and numerous ballot measures to keep an eye on.Trump, whose approval ratings are at or near all-time lows, has spent the last month campaigning in battleground states, urging voters to "pretend" he's on the ballot to encourage higher turnout in hopes that it'll help Republicans avert a so-called blue wave. Some members of the GOP, however, appear to be bracing for one."It could be quite a brutal evening," one senior GOP official told Politico. "Once the dominoes start falling, it becomes hard to stop them."