US midterm results 2026: When will winners be declared? All you need to know about vote counting

The United States is holding one of its closely watched midterm elections, with all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats up for election. Democrats are trying to take control of the House and Senate from President Donald Trump's Republican Party.

US midterm elections 2026: Polling stations close at different times across states as vote counting begins. (AFP)The first results are expected after polling stations begin closing on Tuesday evening. However, the first vote counts will not necessarily tell us who has won a particular race.

Some polling stations in Indiana and Kentucky will be the first to close at 6 pm EST. More polling stations will close across different states during the evening. Vote counts will continue to come in throughout Tuesday night and into Wednesday, as noted by Aljazeera.

Some races may take several days to produce a clear result because election officials need time to count and verify ballots. Therefore, voters may know the early results on Tuesday night, but the final outcome of some closely contested races may take longer.

Election officials release vote counts as ballots are processed. News organisations, including The Associated Press (AP), study the reported results to decide whether there are enough votes to declare a winner. A candidate may be leading in the early vote count without having officially won the race.

The following five states could provide an early picture of the results: There is no fixed deadline for declaring all the winners of the 2026 US midterm elections. Several election races could have clear winners on Tuesday night itself.

However, closely contested races may take several days to settle, as noted by Aljazeera. Recounts and legal challenges could delay the final results further. If the difference between two candidates is very small, a recount may be required.

Candidates can also challenge election results in court. These recounts and legal cases could delay the final outcome by several days, weeks or even longer. Durva More is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she covers finance, and global news.

She brings experience across digital and television journalism, with a strong focus on breaking news, business reporting, and international affairs. Before joining Hindustan Times, Durva worked as an International News Writer at The Economic Times, covering a diverse range of subjects including global politics, business, sports, entertainment, and major world events.

She also worked as a Business Reporter with NDTV Profit. A postgraduate diploma holder in Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Durva is passionate about field reporting and storytelling. She thrives on the adrenaline of chasing stories, speaking with people from different walks of life, and amplifying voices that deserve to be heard.

Her reporting is driven by curiosity, accuracy, and a commitment to making complex subjects accessible to readers. When she is not chasing stories or covering breaking news, Durva enjoys reading books and painting. She loves exploring new ideas, meeting people, and learning about different perspectives.

For her, both journalism and art are ways to understand the world and tell stories that matter.Read More