Early voting begins in the 2026 US midterm elections

Voting gets underway

Early voting has begun in the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, opening the voting period before the main Election Day. The development centers on the process of casting ballots rather than on a named candidate or an individual race.

Control of Congress could change through these elections. That possibility does not amount to a forecast: the word “could” means a change is possible, not that one party or outcome is favored. The start of early voting also does not show how voters will decide. It marks the beginning of ballot casting, not a result.

The development does not identify a vote count, polling result, fundraising total or candidate position. It also does not establish whether control of Congress will change. Those questions can be answered only as the election process continues and results determine the balance of power.

What the development means

For voters, the immediate news is that the midterm voting period is underway. Early voting gives eligible voters an opportunity to participate before the main Election Day, while the final outcome remains undecided.

The central process questions are how voting proceeds and whether the completed results change congressional control. Until ballots are cast and counted, the opening of early voting should be understood as an election milestone rather than evidence of a particular political outcome. No candidate or party can be described as ahead, favored or likely to prevail from the start of early voting alone.