Millions of Americans are preparing to participate in the 2026 midterm elections, which will determine the composition of Congress during the last two years of Donald Trump’s second term. Although Election Day will be November 3, the process has already begun for some voters through mail-in voting.
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In these elections, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats will be at stake. The outcome will determine which party controls both chambers of Congress starting January 2027 and will have consequences on the Trump Administration’s ability to push its legislative agenda during the second half of his term.
When does mail-in voting begin?
Each state sets when ballots can start to be sent and under what conditions voters can request them.
For the 2026 elections, 17 states and Washington D.C. begin the mail-in voting process in September, while the rest start in October.
Among the states that start sending ballots earliest are Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. In North Carolina, for example, the first ballots for the general election began to be sent on September 4.
Other states set the start of mailing 45 days before the election. This group includes Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, and Wyoming. Since Election Day is November 3, the 45-day period begins on September 19.
In total, 37 states and Washington D.C. allow voters to request and cast a mail-in ballot without having to justify a reason. Eight states and Washington D.C. automatically send ballots to all registered voters who meet the requirements.
Dates and requirements, however, vary by state and in some cases may also depend on local election authorities.
In-person early voting
In-person voting will also begin before November 3. Idaho, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Virginia are the first states to open this option on September 18. Most states will start early voting during October.
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In total, 47 states and Washington D.C. offer some form of in-person voting before Election Day for all voters. Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire are exceptions: in those states, a valid reason is required to vote early.
The specific periods also vary. Some states allow voting over several weeks, while others concentrate the process in the days immediately before the election.
General election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
November 3, 2026, will be the main day of the midterm elections. On that day, the 435 voting members of the House of Representatives and 35 senators will be elected.
Although November 3 is the official date of the general election, by then millions of voters will have already cast their votes by mail or in-person early voting.
The rules for returning mail ballots also depend on each state. Most require ballots to be received before the polls close on Election Day, although some jurisdictions allow counting certain ballots sent before November 3 that arrive after that date.
What happens after November 3?
After the polls close, the process of counting and certifying results begins. In elections where margins are narrow or there are disputes over results, recounts or challenges may occur before election authorities definitively certify the victories.
The new Congress will take office on January 3, 2027, when the 120th United States Congress will formally begin, responsible for passing laws and overseeing the federal government during the next two years.
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