US midterm elections exit polls: When will the early survey results start coming?

After polling closes for the US midterm elections 2026 Tuesday evening, all eyes will turn to the results of the exit poll surveys. People vote in a tent set up by the Clark County Election Department on November 3. (Getty Images via AFP)The US exit poll results do not give a decisive seat-by-seat verdict.

It picks up on key questions on voters' minds that have influenced polling, giving a trend on which way the results could sway. For the US midterm elections 2026, the exit poll surveys are being carried out by Social Science Research Solution (SSRS) on behalf of the major news broadcasters.

The data from the SSRS exit polls survey will be run by The Associated Press, NBC News, ABC News, CBS, MS Now, CNN and Fox. SSRS says that the national exit poll survey will include a sample size of around 75,000 voters.

Separate exit polls are being conducted in 45 states that have state-specific Senate or gubernatorial contests. The polling will close between 7pm ET Tuesday and 1am ET on Wednesday, depending on the state. The states where the polls will close at the very end are Hawaii, at 12:00am ET on Wednesday and Alaska, at 1am ET on Wednesday.

The data from the exit poll surveys will be broadcast in phases as polling nears closure. Most US broadcasters have said that they will start airing the early results of the exit poll surveys starting 5pm ET, an hours before the first poll closures in the eastern parts of Indiana and Kentucky at 6pm ET.

The results of the national survey is expected to be out by 5pm ET, while state-wise results will come as and when polls close. The polls close at 7pm EDT for rest of Indiana and Kentucky, along with Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia.

Exit poll data from these states could be expected to be available 7pm ET onwards. The polls close at 7:30pm ET in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia. State-wise exit poll data comes shortly after. Polls will close at 8pm ET in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island.

The data from Arkansas will come in after polls close in the state at 8:30pm ET. In Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, some parts of Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming, polls will close at 9pm.

Polling in other parts of Texas will end at 8pm ET. Polls will close at 9pm ET in Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota and Utah. They will close in California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington at 11pm ET. Finally, in Hawaii it will close at 12am ET on Wednesday, and in Alaska at 1am ET on Wednesday.

The exit poll results will be broadcast once the polls close at each of these states. Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles.

He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure.

Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team.

He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics.

Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More