What We Know About the 2026 US Midterm Elections on Tuesday

Americans vote Tuesday in midterm elections that will decide which party controls Congress for the next two years, according to BBC News. The results will shape how much of President Donald Trump's second-term agenda can move through the House and Senate.

What is actually on the ballot?

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election, BBC News reports. House members serve two-year terms, so the entire chamber turns over every cycle. In the Senate, 35 of the 100 seats are being contested; senators serve six-year terms, so only about a third of the chamber is on the ballot at any given time, per BBC News.

Voters in several states will also pick governors on the same day. Contests in California, Florida, Georgia and Michigan are among the most closely watched, according to BBC News. In California, a separate legal fight over ballots reached the Washington Supreme Court, which this week rejected a bid from Trump related to the state's ballots, according to HTT News.

Who controls Congress right now?

Republicans hold both chambers, but by thin margins, BBC News reports. The party has 218 House seats — the bare minimum needed for control — plus one independent who votes with Republicans. In the Senate, Republicans hold 53 seats. Democrats would need to win 51 Senate seats to take the chamber outright, because a 50-50 tie would be broken by the vice president, currently a Republican, according to BBC News.

If Democrats flip either chamber, they gain the power to bring their own legislation to the floor, BBC News reports.

Midterm numbers at a glance

• 435 House seats and 35 of 100 Senate seats are being decided Tuesday, per BBC News.
• Trump's approval rating was just over 50% at the start of his second term and had fallen by early October, according to polling resource Silver Bulletin, as cited by BBC News.

What issues are driving voters?

The economy tops many voters' concerns, with inflation still above the Federal Reserve's target, BBC News reports. The outlet attributes part of that inflation to the war the US and Israel started with Iran in February. Democrats blame Trump's tariff program for pushing prices higher, while Republicans point to tightened border enforcement as a delivered campaign promise, according to BBC News. Regulation of artificial intelligence has also become a flashpoint, with lawmakers from both parties favoring rules that Trump has resisted, BBC News reports.

Why do midterms matter for Trump's agenda?

Congress, the presidency and the judiciary are the three branches of the federal government, and control of Congress determines how easily a president can pass laws, according to BBC News. Historically, voters have tended to vote against the sitting president's party in midterm years, the outlet notes.

Glossary

• House of Representatives: The lower chamber of Congress, with 435 members serving two-year terms.
• Senate: The upper chamber, with 100 members serving six-year terms; it can approve or block bills from the House.
• Midterms: Elections held midway through a president's four-year term.

For the full BBC explainer, see the original story.