Where to Follow 2026 Midterm Election Results Live (Free and Official)
Updated 7:00 AM ET, Nov. 3, 2026: Polls start closing at 7 p.m. ET. This page lists where to follow results as they come in.
Quick answer: For results you can trust, follow your state election office’s official results page and a major newsroom’s live results map. Newsrooms count and call races fast; state sites post the official numbers that get certified later. Both are free on any phone or computer.
Two kinds of election results
| Type | Where | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Unofficial live results | State and county election sites | Raw vote counts straight from election officials |
| Race calls and projections | Network and newspaper live maps | Fast calls, maps and analysis |
| Certified results | State election sites, days to weeks later | The final, legal result |
A race “call” by a network is a projection, not the official result. Official counts keep changing for days as mail and provisional ballots are added.
Free places to follow live results
- Your state election office: Start at vote.gov, choose your state, and look for “election results” on the official site.
- CBS News: Live results plus the free CBS News 24/7 stream from 5 p.m. ET.
- NBC News: Results map plus the free NBC News NOW stream from 5 p.m. ET.
- PBS News: Free special coverage from 6 p.m. ET.
- ABC News: Live coverage 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. ET, streamed on ABC News Live.
See our full guide: How to Watch 2026 Midterm Election Results Online for Free.
Get result alerts on your phone
- Install one or two news apps you trust and turn on notifications only for “Breaking news” or “Elections”. Too many apps means duplicate alerts all night.
- On iPhone: Settings > Notifications > pick the app > Allow Notifications.
- On Android: Settings > Notifications > App notifications > pick the app.
- Turn alerts off again on Wednesday so you aren’t buzzed by every recount update.
When results come in
| Polls close (ET) | States |
|---|---|
| 7:00 PM | Georgia, South Carolina |
| 7:30 PM | North Carolina, Ohio |
| 8:00 PM | Florida, Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania |
| 9:00 PM | Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Texas |
| 11:00 PM | California and several Western states |
| 1:00 AM | Alaska (most of the state an hour earlier) |
Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, and full results there are not expected until Nov. 18, according to CBS News.
FAQ
Why do results change after a race is called?
Counting continues after the call. Mail ballots, overseas ballots and provisional ballots are added in the following days.
Which results are official?
Only the results certified by your state. Everything on election night is unofficial.
Sources: CBS News, PBS News, TV Insider, vote.gov.