The American midterms take place this Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with the control of the Congress at stake. In Hawaii, polling centres began their day at 7 a.m. local time, or 5 p.m. UTC. At 6:18 p.m. UTC, there is still no result to separate candidates in the major Senate battles. Calls for mobilization continue, while electoral authorities organize an electoral process under increased federal and judicial oversight.
For readers in Lebanon, most of the sequence of results will be played during the night. It is still early in the United States: 1:18 p.m. in Washington and 8:18 a.m. in Honolulu at the time of this item. Early trends should not be confused with complete results, nor candidates’ announcements with established electoral projections.
Midterms: nine Senate races still undecided
The main map of RealClearPolling consulted Tuesday class nine Senate races as undecided: Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas and Nebraska. It divides the remaining seats between 47 on the Democratic side and 44 on the Republican side. These categories include seats that are not renewed this year. They do not represent victories recorded on Tuesday.
This card also shows a potential five-seat average gain for the Democrats. This is an indication based on survey averages, not a count. The distinct « undecided » view, which attributes each race to a camp, shows 53 democratic seats and 47 republicans. Both presentations must not be mixed to announce an acquired majority.
Nebraska returned from the category leaning towards the Republicans to that of undecided races on November 2. This amendment therefore precedes Tuesday’s vote. It concerns the duel between Republican Senator Pete Ricketts and Independent Dan Osborn. An election ranking does not prejudge the result or the choice of a parliamentary group of an independent candidate.
Iowa, Kansas and Michigan, three different tests
In Iowa, Republican Ashley Hinson and Democrat Josh Turek are fighting for the seat left vacant by Joni Ernst. In Kansas, Republican Senator Roger Marshall faces Adam Hamilton. In Michigan, Democrats must retain the seat of outgoing Senator Gary Peters, who does not represent himself. Their candidate Abdul El-Sayed is opposed to Republican Mike Rogers.
These situations show why a national advantage in surveys is not sufficient to establish the future majority. Democrats must win Republican seats while retaining their own. Success in one state can be offset by defeat elsewhere. In the Senate, Republicans can retain control with 50 seats thanks to the decisive voice of Vice-President JD Vance in the event of equality. The Democrats are targeting 51 seats.
Mobilisation continues until closure
The leaders of both camps continue to show confidence. After voting in Brooklyn on Tuesday, Chuck Schumer expressed his hope that a new democratic majority would emerge in the Senate, according to Associated Press. This statement by the Democratic leader is a matter of political mobilization, not an announcement of results.
Donald Trump placed his presidency at the centre of the campaign. On Tuesday, during his interview with Fox & Friends, he again targeted Abdul El-Sayed. He linked his criticism of the Michigan candidate to his announcement of a stoppage of US annual payments to Israel at the end of the year. This diplomatic announcement, already dealt with separately, comes as the Democratic candidate challenges American support for Israel.
In Maine, announced federal observers
The Ministry of Justice announced on Tuesday about 1,000 election observers and monitors in the 50 states. His list includes, in Maine, Lewiston, Portland and South Portland. It also mentions several cities in Michigan, including Detroit, as well as counties in Iowa and Kansas. The announcement of a deployment does not prove a presence at each polling station.
This system remains subject to local rules and judicial restrictions. On November 2, Justice Reggie Walton rejected a request from the NAACP for an emergency, while imposing compliance with federal commitments: civil service, absence of weapons and visible badges, no interference with the vote. The report tabled on Tuesday by the Department states that several sworn agents were removed from the volunteer pool. It does not constitute a judicial decision validating the operation of the procedure.
Schedules to follow from Beirut
In most of Michigan, the offices will close at 8 p.m. local, 3 a.m. Wednesday in Beirut. In central-hour counties, closure will take place an hour later. Iowa will close at 4 am Beirut time. In Kansas, the usual schedule corresponds to 3 hours in Beirut, with variations decided locally.
These deadlines open the period of the first public statements. They do not guarantee the immediate identification of the winners. Remaining ballots and tight margins may prolong waiting. An agency projection and certification by the electoral authorities are two distinct stages.
Cover: U.S. Capitol, 1997 archival photograph. Architect of the Capitol, public domain; Libnanews dressing. This image does not represent the vote of November 3, 2026.
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