2026 Senate Elections: Key Races, Ratings and Results Timing
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The 2026 Senate elections take place on Tuesday, 3 November 2026. Thirty-five of the 100 seats are on the ballot: all 33 Class 2 seats plus special elections in Florida and Ohio. Republicans hold the chamber 53–47, so Democrats need a net gain of four seats for a majority. The Cook Political Report rates seven races as toss-ups: Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas. Around Prague checked seats, candidates and ratings against Ballotpedia, 270toWin, the Cook Political Report (20 October) and Sabato's Crystal Ball (27 October) on 30 October 2026.
The Senate today and the seats up in 2026
The Senate has 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents, from Maine and Vermont, who caucus with the Democrats. Of the 35 seats on the ballot, 22 are held by Republicans and 13 by Democrats. Winners of the regular races start six-year terms on 3 January 2027.
- Class 2, 33 seats: last contested in 2020; 20 Republican, 13 Democratic.
- Florida special: Ashley Moody (R), appointed when Marco Rubio became Secretary of State, faces Democrat Angie Nixon for the final two years of the term.
- Ohio special: Jon Husted (R), appointed when JD Vance became Vice President, faces former senator Sherrod Brown (D).
Eleven incumbents, four Democrats and seven Republicans, are not running again, and two lost their primaries: Bill Cassidy in Louisiana and John Cornyn in Texas. In Oklahoma, appointee Alan Armstrong, who replaced Markwayne Mullin in March, is not on the ballot. In South Carolina, Darline Graham, appointed in July after the death of her brother Lindsey Graham, is the Republican nominee.
Key races and ratings
Ratings show how competitive forecasters consider a race; they are not predictions and can change before Election Day. The table lists every race that Cook or Sabato rates toss-up, lean or likely.
| State | Main candidates | Cook, 20 Oct | Sabato, 27 Oct |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Dan Sullivan (R, incumbent) vs Mary Peltola (D) | Toss-up | Leans D |
| Iowa (open) | Ashley Hinson (R) vs Josh Turek (D) | Toss-up | Toss-up |
| Kansas | Roger Marshall (R, incumbent) vs Adam Hamilton (D) | Toss-up | Toss-up |
| Maine | Susan Collins (R, incumbent) vs Troy Jackson (D) | Toss-up | Toss-up |
| Michigan (open) | Mike Rogers (R) vs Abdul El-Sayed (D) | Toss-up | Leans D |
| Ohio (special) | Jon Husted (R, incumbent) vs Sherrod Brown (D) | Toss-up | Toss-up |
| Texas (open) | Ken Paxton (R) vs James Talarico (D) | Toss-up | Toss-up |
| North Carolina (open) | Michael Whatley (R) vs Roy Cooper (D) | Likely D | Likely D |
| New Hampshire (open) | John Sununu (R) vs Chris Pappas (D) | Lean D | Likely D |
| Minnesota (open) | Michele Tafoya (R) vs Peggy Flanagan (D) | Lean D | Leans D |
| Georgia | Jon Ossoff (D, incumbent) vs Mike Collins (R) | Likely D | Likely D |
| South Carolina | Darline Graham (R, incumbent) vs Annie Andrews (D) | Lean R | Leans R |
| Nebraska | Pete Ricketts (R, incumbent) vs Dan Osborn (independent) | Likely R | Leans R |
| Mississippi | Cindy Hyde-Smith (R, incumbent) vs Scott Colom (D) | Likely R | Likely R |
Cook's latest changes, on 20 October, moved Minnesota to Lean Democratic, South Carolina to Lean Republican and Mississippi to Likely Republican; on 6 October it moved Kansas to Toss-up, New Hampshire to Lean Democratic and North Carolina to Likely Democratic. In Nebraska the Democratic nominee withdrew in July, leaving independent Dan Osborn as the main challenger.
What a change of control would mean
- Agenda. The majority party elects the majority leader, currently Republican John Thune, who by Senate custom is recognised first and proposes what the chamber takes up and when.
- Committees. The majority chairs every committee and holds most seats on each.
- Confirmations. Since rule changes in 2013 and 2017, a simple majority can end debate on nominations, Supreme Court included, so the majority decides on the president's cabinet, judicial and ambassador picks.
- Legislation. Ending debate on most bills still takes 60 votes.
- Treaties. Ratification needs two-thirds of senators present (Article II) whoever is in control, but the majority decides whether a treaty reaches the floor.
- Ties. The Vice President votes only to break a tie (Article I), so at 50–50 JD Vance would keep Republicans in control.
When polls close, in Prague time
On 3 November US Eastern Time is UTC−5, because US daylight saving time ends on 1 November, and Prague has been on CET, UTC+1, since 25 October. Prague is six hours ahead of New York; all Prague times fall on Wednesday 4 November.
| Polls close, ET (3 Nov) | Prague (4 Nov) | States with a Senate race |
|---|---|---|
| 18:00 | 00:00 | eastern Kentucky |
| 19:00 | 01:00 | Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, rest of Kentucky, most of Florida |
| 19:30 | 01:30 | North Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia |
| 20:00 | 02:00 | Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, western Florida panhandle, Eastern-time Michigan, Central-time Kansas, South Dakota and Texas |
| 20:30 | 02:30 | Arkansas |
| 21:00 | 03:00 | Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Wyoming, Central-time Michigan, Mountain-time Kansas, South Dakota and Texas |
| 22:00 | 04:00 | Montana, most of Idaho, eastern Oregon |
| 23:00 | 05:00 | most of Oregon, northern Idaho |
| 00:00 | 06:00 | most of Alaska |
| 01:00 | 07:00 | Aleutian Islands, Alaska |
Some polling places close earlier. Race calls vary: in 2024 the Republican majority was clear the morning after the vote, while in 2022 the Associated Press called Nevada, and with it Democratic control, on Saturday 12 November, four days later. Known delays this year:
- Georgia: a runoff on 1 December 2026 if no candidate wins a majority.
- Alaska: ranked-choice voting. First results are due at 20:45–21:00 local time (06:45–07:00 in Prague); if nobody passes 50%, the ranked-choice count is on 18 November.
- Maine: also ranked-choice, so a race without a first-round majority goes to further rounds.
How to follow the results
News organisations such as the Associated Press project winners from partial counts; a projection is not an official result. Official figures come from each state's election office, such as the Georgia Secretary of State or the Alaska Division of Elections, and are certified in the following weeks (Alaska targets 25 November). 270toWin and Ballotpedia track ratings and results race by race, and Around Prague covers the outcome in its US news section.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
When are the 2026 Senate elections?
On Tuesday, 3 November 2026. Winners of the regular races take office on 3 January 2027.
How many Senate seats are up in 2026?
Thirty-five: 33 Class 2 seats plus special elections in Florida and Ohio. Republicans hold 22 of them, Democrats 13.
How many seats do Democrats need to flip the Senate?
A net gain of four, for 51 seats. A net gain of three would mean a 50–50 Senate, with Vice President JD Vance breaking ties for the Republicans.
Which 2026 Senate races are toss-ups?
Cook (20 October): Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas. Sabato's Crystal Ball (27 October): Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Ohio and Texas.
When will we know who controls the Senate?
It depends on the closest races. In 2024 control was clear the next morning; in 2022 it took four days. A Georgia runoff on 1 December or Alaska's ranked-choice count on 18 November could delay the answer.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Cook ratings via 270toWin, Sabato ratings via 270toWin, poll closing times, Georgia, South Carolina, Alaska Public Media, NIST, Czech regulation 348/2021 Sb., US Constitution, CRS 96-548, Ballotpedia: Filibuster, Al Jazeera, 2022. Checked on 30 October 2026.
See also: Democrats push into Kansas and Mississippi, Talarico and Trump rally in Lubbock, Alaska's Senate results and the Justice Department, Collins fights for her seat.
Photo: the US Capitol, west front. Architect of the Capitol, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
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