Mark your calendar: Tuesday, November 3, is Election Day for the 2026 midterms.
The stakes: All 435 seats in the U.S. House, 35 U.S. Senate seats, including special elections in Florida and Ohio, and 36 state governorships are on the ballot this year. Add in state legislatures, attorneys general, and countless local races, and this is one of the most consequential ballots you’ll see between presidential years.
Why it matters: Midterms have historically drawn lower turnout than presidential elections, even though the outcomes hit just as close to home. The people elected this fall will have a direct hand in the policies, funding, and priorities that shape your community for the next two years.
Here’s how to make sure you’re ready.
Step 1: Make Sure You’re Registered to Vote
A lot can change in two years, whether it’s a move, a name change, or simply forgetting to double-check. Don’t assume you’re covered.
- Confirm your registration status and find your polling place through our America Votes 2026 hub.
- If you need to register or update your information, do it now. Deadlines vary by state, and some come earlier than you’d think.
Of note: Check your state’s specific voter registration deadlines here.
Step 2: Get Informed on Who and What Is on Your Ballot
With so many House, Senate, and gubernatorial races up this year, it’s easy to focus only on the top of the ticket. Don’t skip the rest. Down-ballot races and local ballot measures often have the most direct impact on your daily life.
- Research candidates: Nonpartisan tools like Vote411 and VoteSmart let you compare where candidates stand, side by side.
- Review ballot measures: Ballotpedia’s Sample Ballot Lookup Tool can generate a personalized preview of everything that will appear on your ballot.
- Track your representatives: Govtrack.us shows how your current members of Congress have actually voted on legislation, useful context before you decide who gets your vote next.
The big picture: The internet has made it easier than ever to walk into the voting booth informed about everything on your ballot, not just the marquee races.
Step 3: Make a Voting Plan
Be smart: A plan is what turns intention into a ballot that actually gets counted.
- Pick your method. In person on Election Day, early voting, or by mail. Availability and deadlines vary by state.
- Know your polling place. Confirm the location and hours, and check what ID or documents you’ll need to bring.
- Time it right. November 3 is the deadline, not the only day. Most states open early voting weeks ahead, so you can swing by a polling place while you’re already out running errands, or vote by mail from your kitchen table, and skip the Election Day lines entirely.
Our America Votes 2026 hub can help you find your state’s voting options and your polling location in one place. For deadlines and procedures specific to where you live, your state’s election website is the best source of truth.
Your Connection Is Part of Your Vote
Access to the internet isn’t just about streaming or scrolling. It’s become one of the most direct paths Americans have to participating in their own democracy. Researchers from Harvard, the University of Virginia, and NTIA who studied the 2016 and 2018 elections found that internet users were more likely to vote than non-users in both elections. The boost tied specifically to home broadband showed up in the 2018 midterm, not the presidential race, exactly the low-turnout contest where every vote carries more weight.
Between the lines: It’s one more example of how the connections we rely on every day reach well beyond entertainment and convenience, into how we research candidates, find our polling place, and ultimately, how we vote.
The bottom line: Take five minutes today to confirm your registration and lock in your plan for November 3.