Election Day for the 2026 midterms is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polls open in the early morning across the country, but they close at very different times depending on where you live. The first polls close at 6 p.m. Eastern Time in parts of Indiana and Kentucky, and the very last ones close at 1 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday in Alaska's Aleutian Islands.
If you plan to vote in person, or you just want to follow results on election night, this guide explains exactly when polls close in each state, what happens if you are still in line, and why results can keep coming in for days. All times below are Eastern Standard Time, because daylight saving time ended on November 1.
The Short Answer: Most Polls Close Between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Local Time
Every state sets its own hours. In most states, polls close at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. local time, and a few stay open until 9 p.m. local time. Because the US spans six time zones, those local closing times turn into a "wave" of closings that rolls from east to west across the evening.
One important warning first: the times below are the latest closing time in each state. Your own polling place may close earlier, especially in some New Hampshire towns. Always check your county or state election office website for your exact polling place hours. If you are not sure where you vote, your state's official election website or Vote.org's polling place locator will tell you.
Poll Closing Times by State (Eastern Time)
This schedule follows the latest scheduled closing time in each state, adjusted to Eastern Standard Time, as published by 270toWin and NPR's election-night guide. States that cross time zones are listed twice.
6:00 p.m. ET
- Indiana (Eastern time zone part)
- Kentucky (Eastern time zone part)
7:00 p.m. ET
- Florida (Eastern part, most of the state)
- Georgia
- Indiana (Central time zone part)
- Kentucky (Central time zone part)
- South Carolina
- Vermont
- Virginia
7:30 p.m. ET
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- West Virginia
8:00 p.m. ET
- Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Washington, D.C.
- New Hampshire (many towns close earlier)
- Florida (Panhandle, Central time)
- Most of Kansas, Michigan and Texas
- The Central-time parts of North Dakota and South Dakota
8:30 p.m. ET
- Arkansas
9:00 p.m. ET
- Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Wisconsin and Wyoming
- The Mountain-time parts of Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas (El Paso area)
- Michigan's western Upper Peninsula (Central time)
10:00 p.m. ET
- Montana, Nevada and Utah
- Idaho and Oregon (Mountain-time parts)
11:00 p.m. ET
- California and Washington
- Idaho and Oregon (Pacific-time parts)
12:00 a.m. ET (Wednesday)
- Hawaii
- Most of Alaska
1:00 a.m. ET (Wednesday)
- Alaska's Aleutian Islands (Hawaii-Aleutian time)
Oregon and Washington run their elections almost entirely by mail. There, "polls close" means the deadline to drop a ballot in an official drop box or deliver it to an election office, which is 8 p.m. local time. Mailed ballots must follow each state's postmark rules.
What If You Are Still in Line When Polls Close?
Stay in line. In general, if you are in line at your polling place when the official closing time arrives, you are still allowed to vote. Poll workers usually mark the end of the line at closing time, and everyone ahead of that point gets to cast a ballot. Leaving the line is the only way to lose your chance.
If anyone tells you that you cannot vote and you believe you are eligible, ask for a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot is kept separate and counted once election officials confirm you were eligible. You can also call the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
Why Polls Close at Different Times
The US Constitution lets each state decide the "times, places and manner" of its elections, as long as Congress does not override it. Congress set the national Election Day (the Tuesday after the first Monday in November), but it never set a national closing time. So each state legislature picks its own hours. That is why Kentucky and Indiana close as early as 6 p.m. local time, while New York keeps polls open until 9 p.m.
Want to know why the vote happens on a Tuesday at all? We explained the farming-era reason in Why Do Americans Vote on a Tuesday?
What Is on the Ballot in 2026?
This is a midterm election, held halfway through a president's four-year term. According to NPR and 270toWin, voters are choosing:
- All 435 seats in the US House of Representatives
- 35 US Senate seats (33 regular seats plus special elections)
- 36 governors, plus thousands of state lawmakers, mayors, judges and local officials
- Many ballot measures, which let voters decide laws or state constitution changes directly
If you want a quick refresher on why midterms matter, read our guide What Are Midterm Elections?
When Will We Know the Results?
News organizations start "projecting" winners soon after polls close in a state, but only when the votes already counted make the result clear. Close races can take much longer. NPR notes that control of the House may become clear sooner because there are more seats and bigger margins, while Senate control could take days because several races are tight and two states use ranked-choice voting, which can add extra rounds of counting.
Some reasons counts take time:
- Mail ballots need signature checks, and some states cannot start processing them until Election Day.
- Several states accept mail ballots that arrive after Election Day if they were postmarked on time.
- Provisional ballots must be verified one by one.
- Very close races can trigger an automatic recount.
Some states are moving faster. For example, NPR reports that Georgia's secretary of state says new state rules require counties to report results within an hour of polls closing. We explained the whole process step by step in How Are Votes Counted? Why Election Results Take Days
A Quick Election Day Checklist
- Confirm your polling place on your state or county election website. It can change from one election to the next.
- Check ID rules. About two-thirds of states ask voters to show some form of ID; the rules differ a lot.
- Go early if you can. Lines tend to be longest before work and right after work.
- Watch the weather. Forecasters expect a storm system to bring rain to parts of the central US on Election Day, so plan extra time.
- Bring your patience and a charged phone. And remember: if you are in line at closing time, stay in line.
Next on the US calendar after Election Day: Also read: Why Is Veterans Day at 11 AM on November 11?.
After the polls close, the projections start. Also read: How Do Exit Polls Work? What They Tell You on Election Night.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Election Day 2026?
Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Many states also offered early voting in the weeks before.
What time do polls close on the East Coast?
Most East Coast states close at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. Eastern. Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and Vermont close at 7 p.m.; North Carolina at 7:30 p.m.; Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and most of New England at 8 p.m.; and New York at 9 p.m.
What time do polls close in California?
8 p.m. Pacific Time, which is 11 p.m. Eastern.
Can I vote if I am in line when the polls close?
Yes. In general, anyone in line at the official closing time is allowed to vote, so do not leave.
Is Election Day a federal holiday?
No. Election Day is not a federal holiday, but many states have laws that give workers time off to vote. The rules differ by state, so check your state's law or ask your employer.
Which state's polls close last?
Alaska. Polls in the Aleutian Islands close at 1 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 4.
Poll closing times in this post come from 270toWin's 2026 poll closing table (adjusted to Eastern Standard Time) and NPR's November 1, 2026 election-night guide. Hours can change, and your polling place may close earlier, so always confirm with your local election office.
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