The midterm elections for Congress have started in the US: when will the results be announced and what is at stake

On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the United States began midterm elections, the results of which will determine the new composition of Congress. The vote could significantly change the balance of political forces in Washington and affect the ability of President Donald Trump to implement his policies.

The first polling stations in the continental United States opened in Vermont at 12:00 Kyiv time. Voting will begin in other states in the coming hours.

What Americans are voting on November 3

Midterm elections in the United States are held two years after the presidential election and determine the balance of power in the legislative branch.

This year, Americans are electing:

435 members of the House of Representatives — the entire lower house of Congress;

35 senators — part of the upper house of Congress;

39 governors — in 36 states and three territories;
representatives of state legislatures, as well as a number of other officials.

The main political struggle is unfolding between the Republican and Democratic parties.

Currently, Republicans control both houses of Congress, but Democrats are trying to change the situation and gain a majority in at least one of them.

When will the results of the US elections be known

The first results of the vote are expected on the night of November 4, Kyiv time.

The earliest polling stations will close in the eastern parts of the states of Indiana and Kentucky — at 01:00 Kyiv time.

Voting will end at 02:00 Kyiv time in Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia.

The last stations will close in Alaska — at 08:00 on November 4.

Thus, preliminary results and main voting trends may become known as early as Wednesday, November 4.

At the same time, the final determination of winners in individual districts may take several days or even weeks.

This is due to the peculiarities of electoral procedures in different states, the counting of postal ballots, and the possible slight difference between candidates.

The newly elected US Congress will begin work on January 3, 2027.

More than 54 million Americans voted early

This year’s elections are accompanied by high voter turnout.

According to the University of Florida, as of November 2, 54.5 million Americans had voted early.

This is almost 10 million more than the total number of early votes in the previous midterm elections in 2022.

According to Pew Research Center estimates, about 250 million US citizens have the right to vote in this year’s elections.

Why these elections are important for Donald Trump

The results of the midterm elections will determine how freely US President Donald Trump will be able to promote his legislative initiatives during the second half of his presidential term.

If Republicans retain the majority in Congress, the presidential administration will have more opportunities to implement its political program.

On the other hand, a victory for Democrats in at least one chamber could complicate the adoption of laws, budget decisions and other initiatives of the White House.

In addition, Democrats can strengthen parliamentary control over the activities of the presidential administration and initiate additional investigations.

Trump himself has previously stated his readiness to actively use the presidential veto in the event that Congress adopts bills that he does not support.

What are the chances of Democrats and Republicans

Before the election, Republicans had a majority in the Senate — 53 seats out of 100.

Democrats, along with two independent senators, controlled 47 seats.

In the House of Representatives, the Republican advantage was also insignificant.

According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, at the end of October, 47% of registered voters said they were ready to support Democrats, while 36% preferred Republicans.

At the same time, national ratings do not guarantee an appropriate distribution of seats in Congress, since the results depend on voting in individual states and electoral districts.

How the US elections could affect Ukraine

For Ukraine, the results of the US elections are of particular importance given the role of the US in international support and security issues.

The new balance of power in Congress could affect the consideration of legislative initiatives on financing international aid, defense policy and sanctions.

At the same time, specific decisions will depend not only on the party majority, but also on the positions of individual legislators and the presidential administration.