CBS News is preparing extensive live coverage of the 2026 midterm elections, with control of Congress and the future of President Trump’s agenda at stake. Voters will choose representatives for all 435 House seats, take part in 35 Senate races and vote in gubernatorial contests across 39 states.
Several high-profile measures will also be on ballots, including California’s proposed billionaire tax. Results and analysis will be broadcast and streamed after polling stations close on Tuesday, November 3.
How to watch the 2026 midterm election coverage
Television coverage, titled “America Decides: Election 2026”, begins at 7pm Eastern Time. Tony Dokoupil and Norah O’Donnell will anchor the programme, joined by Gayle King, Margaret Brennan and political reporters including Robert Costa, Major Garrett, Nancy Cordes and Ed O’Keefe.
Anthony Salvanto, CBS News’ executive director of elections and surveys, will provide live updates throughout the evening. Correspondents reporting from Washington, the White House and locations around the country include Weijia Jiang, Nikole Killion, Adriana Diaz, Matt Gutman, Skyler Henry, Lana Zak, Kris Van Cleave, Taurean Small, Jan Crawford and Nicole Sganga.
Political analysts from both parties, together with specialists in election law and security, will also contribute to the coverage.
Viewers without cable will be able to follow live coverage throughout the day and evening on CBS News 24/7. The service will be available through the free CBS News app on connected televisions and smartphones, as well as on Paramount+, CBSNews.com and YouTube.
From 5pm Eastern Time, Anthony Salvanto and congressional correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns will host “Election 2026: The Nerd Show”, examining the latest data with Democratic and Republican pollsters and other election experts.
Prime-time coverage led by Dokoupil and O’Donnell will begin streaming across the service’s platforms at 7pm Eastern Time.
Local election coverage and results times
CBS Stations will provide live election coverage in 15 owned markets, with local streaming channels combining sustained regional reporting with network programming. CBS News Atlanta will not stream coverage, although local viewers will be able to watch on WUPA Channel 69.
The first polls are due to close at 7pm Eastern Time, with further closures at 7.30pm and larger numbers of states finishing voting at 8pm and 9pm. Polls in California and several other western states will remain open until 11pm, followed by Hawaii and then Alaska at 1am.
The timing of results will vary between races. Close contests and different state rules governing the counting of postal ballots could mean that some outcomes take longer to emerge.
Coverage will continue on Wednesday through “CBS Mornings” and throughout the day on CBS News 24/7.
