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Midterms · November 3, 2026

The whole House. A third of the Senate. Most governors.

This is the largest civic moment of the next two years, and turnout will be roughly two-thirds of a presidential year. That means your vote counts for more, not less. Here's what's on the ballot and how to vote it well — no endorsements, no slate, no team.

Election Day · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
—days to go
On the ballot
What's actually being decided.
435
House seats

Every voting seat. All of them. Every two years.

35
Senate seats

33 in regular cycle plus 2 special elections (OH, FL).

39
Governorships

36 states plus 3 territories.

∞
State & local races

Legislatures, AGs, school boards, judges, ballot measures.

The races furthest down your ballot — county commission, school board, judges, ballot measures — are the ones most likely to touch your actual week, and the ones most likely to be decided by a margin smaller than the people who skipped them.

Four steps
Do these now, not in November.
01

Check your registration

Registrations get purged more often than people expect — after a move, a name change, or a few skipped elections. Check even if you're sure.

Check at vote.org
02

Find your polling place

Locations change between cycles. Confirm yours the week before, not the morning of.

Find your location
03

Read your whole ballot early

Sample ballots are published in advance. The down-ballot races — judges, county offices, measures — affect your daily life more than the top of the ticket.

See your sample ballot
04

Make a plan

Voters who pick a day, a time, and a route show up at dramatically higher rates than voters who just intend to. Write it down.

Plan your vote
Calendar
Dates that actually bind.

Deadlines vary by state and the early ones sneak up. Confirm yours with your Secretary of State — these are the shapes, not the specifics.

  1. Sept–Oct 2026

    Voter registration deadlines

    Varies by state. Most fall 15–30 days before Election Day. Some states allow same-day.

  2. Sept–Oct 2026

    Mail ballot request deadlines

    Earlier than you think. Request early; don't rely on the last week.

  3. Oct 2026

    Early voting opens (most states)

    Shorter lines, more time to research your down-ballot races.

  4. Nov 3, 2026

    Election Day

    Polls close between 7pm and 9pm in most states. If you're in line at closing, stay — you can vote.

  5. Nov–Dec 2026

    Certification

    Counting and certification take time. Slow results are normal, not evidence of anything.

  6. Jan 3, 2027

    120th Congress convenes

    Whoever wins is seated. New terms begin.

The house rule
Vote your ballot, not your team. A straight ticket is a way of not deciding.
— The Moderate Populist
Town hall kit
Ten questions for any candidate.

These work on a Democrat, a Republican, an independent, or a candidate for drain commissioner. They're designed to separate people who intend to govern from people who intend to perform. Bring two to a town hall.

  1. 01
    “Name a time you disagreed with your own party.”
    Why it worksSeparates governing types from performance types faster than any other question.
  2. 02
    “What's the strongest argument against your position on ___?”
    Why it worksIf they can't steelman the other side, they haven't thought it through.
  3. 03
    “What would you trade to get ___ passed?”
    Why it worksLegislating is trading. Candidates who won't trade won't legislate.
  4. 04
    “Who in the other party would you work with, and on what?”
    Why it worksA specific name and a specific bill. Vague goodwill doesn't count.
  5. 05
    “What did you get wrong in the last two years?”
    Why it worksEveryone gets things wrong. Only some people can say so.
  6. 06
    “Where does your funding come from?”
    Why it worksNot a gotcha. A basic question every voter is owed an answer to.
  7. 07
    “What's one thing government does well that you'd protect?”
    Why it worksTests whether they have a theory of government or just a grievance.
  8. 08
    “How will you vote if your party leadership asks you to vote the other way?”
    Why it worksThe honest answer is 'depends' — followed by what it depends on.
  9. 09
    “What's your position on ___ that would surprise my neighbors?”
    Why it worksInvites specificity instead of a stump speech.
  10. 10
    “How do I hold you accountable in two years?”
    Why it worksA good candidate has an answer. A great one gives you a metric.
Clearing the air
Four things people believe that aren't true.
Common belief

Midterms don't matter as much as presidential years.

What's true

Midterms decide who writes and blocks legislation for the next two years, plus most governorships and state legislatures — which draw district maps and set election rules.

Common belief

My one vote won't change anything.

What's true

Midterm turnout runs far below presidential years, and local races are routinely decided by dozens of votes. Your vote is worth more in a midterm, not less.

Common belief

Slow results mean something went wrong.

What's true

Counting mail and provisional ballots takes days by design and by law. Speed was never the standard; accuracy is.

Common belief

Both parties are the same, so why bother.

What's true

On the specific bills that reach a floor vote, they demonstrably aren't. Read the votes, not the branding.

Before you vote

Find out where you actually stand.

Eight questions, three minutes, no login. Most people are surprised — and it's a better preparation for a ballot than another month of headlines.

Take the stand
More to explore

Keep going.

Midterms 2026

Vote the midterms well

What's on the November ballot, and ten questions for any candidate.

Go there
Interactive

Take the stand

8 questions, no login. See where you actually agree with your neighbors.

Go there
Solutions

Take an action

The 4 Cs of engagement and a ladder of civic actions.

Go there