Polls close on Election Day 2026 starting at 6 p.m. ET tonight, and the last ones shut down around 1 a.m. ET on Wednesday, so your state’s clock decides when you can stop worrying about getting to the booth.
Control of the House and Senate is on the line, along with 36 governor races, according to Fox News. All 435 House seats are on the ballot. Here’s when the doors close.
The poll closing times, in order
Per CBS News, the first polls close at 6 p.m. ET in the eastern parts of Indiana and Kentucky.
At 7 p.m. ET, Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia close. So do the rest of Indiana and Kentucky, and most of Florida. At 7:30 p.m. ET, it’s North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia, which opened at 6:30 a.m., WCNC reports.
Most states close between 6 and 9 p.m. local time, and 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. is the most common, according to KHOU, citing the National Conference of State Legislatures. The West Coast closes at 11 p.m. ET, with Alaska and Hawaii last.
The time zone traps
Several states span two time zones, and that’s where people get burned. A few examples:
- Kentucky: the Eastern part closes at 6 p.m. ET, the Central part at 7 p.m. ET.
- Florida: most of the state closes at 7 p.m. ET. The Central-time panhandle closes at 8 p.m. ET.
- Texas: most polls close at 7 p.m. local time, which is 8 p.m. ET. El Paso and Hudspeth counties are on Mountain time and close at 9 p.m. ET.
- Michigan: polls close at 8 p.m. local time. Four Central-time Upper Peninsula counties (Dickinson, Gogebic, Iron and Menominee) close an hour later, at 9 p.m. ET, CBS Detroit reports.
- Tennessee: 8 p.m. in the Eastern part and 7 p.m. in the Central part, per 270toWin.
- Alabama and Mississippi: 7 p.m. Central, which is 8 p.m. ET.
Some lists mix local time and Eastern time, so convert carefully. A few places set their own hours. New Hampshire municipalities mostly close at 7 p.m., but some stay open until 8 p.m. ET. North Dakota’s county commissions set theirs, with closings starting at 7 p.m.
Here’s the thing: the line is your friend
The rule that matters most tonight is simple. If you’re already in line when polls close, you still get to vote. Quartz notes this for North Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia, Alabama and Mississippi, and the practice is common elsewhere. Check your own state’s rule, because the safest move is to get in line early.
Don’t trust a social post, a group chat or this story for your exact precinct hours. Look it up on your state or county election office’s website before you leave the house. Hours can differ by county, and a two-minute check beats a wasted trip.
What happens after the doors close
Results will come in waves: after 6 p.m., at 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., then at 8 p.m. and later, as the map fills in. Some races won’t be settled when you go to bed. Counting mail ballots can take extra time in some states, and a close race can sit uncalled.
Fox News reports polls show Democrats more energized than Republicans, which could leave the GOP with a turnout deficit. Among the Senate races to watch, NBC Chicago says Democrats look poised to flip an open North Carolina seat, and Ohio’s race is a slight Sherrod Brown lead over Sen. Jon Husted. It also says Texas could elect its first Democratic senator since 1988, with James Talarico against Ken Paxton.
The honest answer on who controls Congress is that nobody knows yet. We’ll tell you when the race calls come in and who made them, not before.
So go vote, get in line early, and then settle in. It’s going to be a long night.
