United States elections, 2026
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| United States elections, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Election name | United States elections, 2026 |
| Country | United States |
| Type | Midterm |
| Election date | November 3, 2026 |
United States elections, 2026 were a series of federal, state, territorial, and local races held principally on November 3, 2026, with assorted primaries and runoffs occurring earlier in the year. The cycle coincided with ongoing debates involving Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, and a spectrum of figures from Mitch McConnell to Hakeem Jeffries, and took place amid policy disputes tied to the legacy of the 2024 United States presidential election, the unfolding of the 2020s energy transition, and geopolitical events involving China, Russia, and Ukraine.
Background and political context
The 2026 cycle unfolded against the backdrop of the aftermath of the 2024 United States presidential election and its legal and political reverberations involving Supreme Court of the United States decisions and litigation in venues like the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Economic conditions tied to the Federal Reserve System's interest rate policy, debates over the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and sectoral shifts involving ExxonMobil, Tesla, Inc., and Boeing shaped messaging. Foreign policy crises involving Israel–Hamas conflict (2023), the Taiwan Strait tensions with Xi Jinping, and sanctions related to Nord Stream and Crimea factored into campaigns. Factional disputes within the Democratic Party (United States) and the Republican Party (United States) echoed earlier clashes associated with Progressivism in the United States, the Tea Party movement, and figures such as Bernie Sanders and Ronald Reagan in rhetorical lineage. Organizational actors including National Republican Congressional Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Republican National Committee, and Democratic National Committee mobilized resources amid fundraising influenced by donors like George Soros and Sheldon Adelson-era networks.
Federal elections
Federal contests included all 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives and 34 regular seats in the United States Senate, with special elections in districts once held by members such as Kevin McCarthy and Steny Hoyer. High-profile Senate contests featured incumbents from states like Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and North Carolina facing challengers associated with statewide leaders including Ron DeSantis, Brian Kemp, Doug Ducey, Josh Shapiro, and Joe Lombardo. House battlegrounds centered on districts like New York's 3rd congressional district, Texas's 23rd congressional district, and California's 27th congressional district, with demographic dynamics influenced by migration patterns to metros like Atlanta, Phoenix, Houston, and Los Angeles. Issues such as federal spending tied to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, defense appropriations connected to Department of Defense (United States), and judicial nominations to the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit were salient. Congressional leadership races involved figures including Kevin McCarthy, Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise, and Hakeem Jeffries as party caucuses recalibrated strategy.
State and territorial elections
Governorships and state legislatures were contested in combinations including states such as California, Texas, New York, Florida, Ohio, and Michigan', with gubernatorial primaries invoking actors like Gavin Newsom, Greg Abbott, Kathy Hochul, Terry McAuliffe, and Whitmer. State supreme courts in jurisdictions such as Arizona Supreme Court and Texas Supreme Court saw retention elections or contested races in part due to litigation over redistricting following decisions from the United States Supreme Court. Ballot-rights battles reflected precedents set by cases like Shelby County v. Holder and statutes including the Help America Vote Act. Territorial contests in places like Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands involved local executives and referenda shaping relations with the United States Department of the Interior.
Local elections and ballot measures
Municipal contests in cities such as New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle encompassed mayoral, city council, and school board races, with notable candidates tied to political machines like the Tammany Hall legacy and reform movements reminiscent of the Progressive Era (1890s–1920s). County elections in jurisdictions including Cook County, Illinois, Maricopa County, Arizona, and Harris County, Texas were pivotal for administration of local elections and public safety budgets. Ballot measures addressed topics ranging from municipal finance linked to policies like Property tax rules, public transit initiatives connected to agencies such as Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York), and criminal justice reforms invoking precedents like the First Step Act. Environmental measures referenced litigation under the Clean Air Act and conservation efforts tied to the Endangered Species Act.
Campaigns, candidates, and party dynamics
Primary contests featured intra-party struggles between alignments associated with figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Liz Cheney, Tim Scott, Marco Rubio, Pete Buttigieg, and Nikki Haley, while third-party and independent bids invoked organizations such as the Libertarian Party (United States), the Green Party (United States), and ballot-access advocates tied to cases like Anderson v. Celebrezze. Campaign finance remained influenced by entities including Super PACs, American Crossroads, Priorities USA Action, and decisions originating from Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Digital strategy invoked platforms including X (social network), Meta Platforms, Inc., and TikTok, with misinformation concerns examined in light of the Department of Justice (United States) actions and Federal Communications Commission guidance. Debates over primary calendar reforms revived consideration of the Iowa Democratic Party and New Hampshire early contests, and labor endorsements included unions such as the AFL–CIO and Teamsters.
Voter registration, turnout, and election administration
Voter registration drives engaged groups like the League of Women Voters, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and Rock the Vote, while state election administrators from offices such as the Michigan Secretary of State, Georgia Secretary of State, and Florida Department of State managed voter rolls and compliance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. Turnout patterns were analyzed using data from the United States Election Assistance Commission and academic centers like the Brennan Center for Justice and Pew Research Center, with disparities noted across demographics including age cohorts influenced by 2018 United States midterm elections trends and migration-driven shifts between suburbs and exurbs. Cybersecurity posture for elections referenced collaboration with Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and concerns about foreign influence linked to Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections and broader disinformation campaigns.