Politics · Explainer
Early voting for the 2026 midterms is already open in most of the country
Watch: early voting begins in 30 states, with 10 million ballots already cast. Video: 7News (WJLA) · YouTube
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026 — but for most Americans, voting has already started. Early in-person voting is underway across most states, mail ballots are out, and the window to register has closed in much of the country. Every seat in the U.S. House, a third of the Senate, and governorships in most states are on the ballot, which means these midterms decide who controls Congress for the next two years. Here's where things stand.
When early voting runs in the big states
| State | Early in-person voting | Registration deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Oct 7 – Oct 30 | Oct 5 (passed) |
| Tennessee | Oct 14 – Oct 29 | Oct 5 (passed) |
| Texas | Oct 19 – Oct 30 | Passed |
| South Carolina | Oct 19 – Oct 31 (closed Sundays) | Passed |
| Oklahoma | Oct 28 – Oct 31 | Oct 9 (passed) |
| Pennsylvania | Mail/absentee drop-off at satellite offices, Oct 7 – Nov 3 | Oct 19 (passed) |
Rules vary a lot by state: some let any registered voter cast an early ballot at any county location, while others (like Oklahoma) require you to vote early in the county where you're registered. A handful of states also allow same-day registration, so if you missed a deadline, check your state's election site before assuming you're shut out.
If you're voting by mail
Two dates matter. First, request deadlines are closing now — South Carolina's absentee application deadline is October 23, and Arizona's last day to request a mail ballot is also October 23. Second, don't sit on a ballot you already have: Arizona officials advise mailing it back by October 27 so it arrives in time, and after that the safe move everywhere is an official drop box or voting center rather than a mailbox. In South Carolina, a completed absentee ballot must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day to count.
The races everyone will be watching on November 3
Texas has the marquee Senate fight: Democrat James Talarico against Republican Ken Paxton, in what polls suggest is Texas Democrats' best shot at a Senate seat in 30 years — plus a governor's race between incumbent Greg Abbott and Gina Hinojosa. Oklahoma has an open Senate seat: Markwayne Mullin left it in March 2026 when he was appointed Secretary of Homeland Security, and Republican Kevin Hern faces nurse and Chickasaw citizen N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas. South Carolina voters are choosing a successor for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat alongside a governor. Pennsylvania re-elects (or replaces) Governor Josh Shapiro, who faces Republican Stacy Garrity, and votes in 17 U.S. House races. Add all 435 House seats nationwide and dozens of state legislatures, and November 3 reshapes far more than Washington.
What to do this week
Confirm your registration and find your early-voting location on your state or county election site — locations for early voting often differ from your Election Day polling place. If you plan to vote early, going this week beats the final-weekend lines in most states. And if you're voting by mail, treat October 27 as your personal mail-by deadline wherever you live.
Sources: USA Today Network state voting guides — AZCentral (Arizona), El Paso Times (Texas), Greenville News (South Carolina), The Oklahoman (Oklahoma), WVLT (Tennessee) and USA Today's Allegheny County guide (Pennsylvania), October 2026. Deadlines and windows as published by state and county election officials; confirm your own location and hours locally before you go.