Polls close from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Eastern on Nov. 3; close races may take days

Election night will unfold over about seven hours, with the first polls closing at 6 p.m. Eastern and the last at 1 a.m. Eastern, according to the election-tracking site 270toWin ². All times below are Eastern, as on that site ².

When polls close

The first polls to close are in the Eastern-time parts of Indiana and Kentucky, at 6 p.m. ². At 7 p.m., polls close in Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia, along with most of Florida ².

North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia close at 7:30 p.m. ². Pennsylvania, Michigan's Eastern-time areas, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maine and Mississippi are among the states that close at 8 p.m. ². Arkansas follows at 8:30 p.m. ².

At 9 p.m., polls close in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Wisconsin and others ². Nevada, Montana, Utah and parts of Idaho and Oregon close at 10 p.m. ². California and Washington close at 11 p.m. ². Alaska and Hawaii follow at midnight, and the western Aleutian Islands of Alaska close at 1 a.m. ².

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Some states close polls at different times in different parts of the state. 270toWin lists such states at their later closing time ². Congressional districts in seven states, including Texas, Florida and Michigan, have varying closing times ².

Check your own polling place

Do not rely on a chart to decide when to vote. The 270toWin page warns that "Your polling place may close earlier." ² Call your county election office or check its website before you go.

What the polls say

A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds Democrats hold significant advantages and are favored to gain control of the U.S. House ¹. The poll also shows signs that a potential wave may be limited ¹.

The poll found that one in three Americans face financial hardship, and four in 10 say their personal finances are getting worse ¹. Preserving democracy resonates with Democrats and independents, while immigration is the top issue for MAGA supporters ¹.

A court fight over California ballots

A federal judge was scheduled to hear arguments on Oct. 27 in the Trump administration's bid to force California to set aside ballots from voters it alleges may not be citizens ¹. An appeals court the night before declined the administration's request to get involved ¹.

That matters for election night because California's polls close at 11 p.m. Eastern, one of the last big blocs of the evening ². The pending ballot dispute is one more reason close races may not be settled quickly.

What happens next

Early states will give a first read as results arrive from 6 p.m. onward ². Western states, including California and Washington, do not close until 11 p.m. Eastern, and Alaska not until midnight or 1 a.m. ². Voters should expect that a tight House or Senate race may not be called on election night.

The 270toWin page does not address how long each state takes to count ballots, so check your state or county election office for its schedule. Plan your vote now, and confirm your polling place's hours before Nov. 3.

The Record

1. Oct 26, 2026An appeals court declined the Trump administration's request to get involved in its bid to have California set aside ballots from voters it alleges may not be citizens ¹.
2. Oct 27, 2026A federal judge heard arguments in the administration's bid to compel California to set aside those ballots ¹.
3. Oct 27, 2026A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found Democrats favored to gain control of the U.S. House ¹.

Sources

1. NPR, “Democrats have a midterm edge, poll shows. And, Israelis vote in high-stakes election” (2026-10-27). npr.org/2026/10/27/g-s1-150052/up-first-newsletter-midterms-
2. 270toWin, “Poll Closing Times (Eastern) for the 2026 general election” (2026-10-28). 270towin.com/poll-closing-times/

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