What's on the federal ballot on Nov. 3

Election Day for the 2026 midterms is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Control of both chambers of Congress is on the ballot, along with most of the nation's governorships.

The House

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for election, as they are every two years. House members serve two-year terms.

The Senate

Senators serve six-year terms, and about a third of the chamber is elected every two years. According to Ballotpedia, 35 Senate seats are on the ballot this year: 33 regularly scheduled seats and two special elections, in Florida and Ohio.

The special elections fill the last two years of terms that began in 2023. In Florida, the seat was held by Marco Rubio, who left the Senate to become secretary of state. In Ohio, it was held by JD Vance, who left to become vice president. In both states, an appointed senator has served in the meantime.

Governors

Thirty-six states elect governors this year, according to NPR's tally of 2026 races. NPR notes that many of the current governors are term-limited.

Your own ballot

Federal races are only part of what voters will see. Ballots also include state legislative seats, local offices, judges and ballot measures, and they differ from county to county.

Most state election offices publish sample ballots or a voter lookup tool. To find yours, choose your state on vote.gov, which links to each state's official election website.

Results on election night will be unofficial. Our Election 2026 hub lists poll closing times and links to every state's official results page.