Biggest Political Event of the Year Kicks Off

Early voting for the 2026 midterm elections is officially underway, opening a consequential stretch of the campaign as Americans prepare to determine which party will control Congress during the final two years of President Donald Trump’s current term.

Virginia began its early in-person voting period on Friday, September 18. The state will allow early voting through October 31, ahead of the November 3 general election. South Dakota also began absentee voting on September 18, according to the state’s official election calendar.

Across the country, additional states will begin their own early or absentee voting periods in the weeks ahead.

The stakes are significant.

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are on the ballot during a midterm election, while approximately one-third of the Senate is elected every two years because senators serve staggered six-year terms.

Beyond Congress, voters in many states will also decide races for governor, state legislature and local offices.

Control of Congress Takes Center Stage

The November 3 election will help determine the direction of Washington for the remainder of Trump’s term.

Republicans are fighting to maintain their congressional majorities, while Democrats are seeking enough victories to gain control of one or both chambers.

The consequences would extend well beyond individual congressional races.

Continued Republican control could make it easier for the White House and congressional Republicans to advance shared legislative priorities. Democratic control of either chamber could produce greater resistance to administration proposals while expanding Democrats’ ability to conduct hearings and congressional oversight.

Ultimately, those decisions will be made by voters across hundreds of individual House and Senate contests.

Cost of Living Remains a Major Issue

Americans enter the final weeks before Election Day with pocketbook concerns remaining prominent in the national debate.

The prices of groceries, gasoline, housing, utilities and other household necessities continue to influence political discussion, particularly among retirees, working families and Americans living on fixed incomes.

Foreign policy is another major consideration as the continuing conflict involving Iran raises questions about national security, energy markets and America’s role overseas.

Immigration enforcement remains another significant dividing line between the two parties, while the rapid development of artificial intelligence has generated additional debate over jobs, privacy, national security and economic disruption.

Together, those issues are giving voters a broad range of concerns to consider before casting their ballots.

Trump Administration Continues Push for Election Changes

Election procedures themselves have also become an important part of the 2026 political debate.

President Trump has advocated tighter safeguards surrounding voting and voter eligibility, including greater scrutiny of voter rolls and changes involving mail ballots.

One major administration effort recently encountered a setback at the Supreme Court.

On September 14, the Court declined to allow new U.S. Postal Service requirements for mail ballots to take effect before this year’s election, leaving a lower-court injunction in place. The contested rules would have required changes including federally specified markings and barcodes on ballot envelopes and additional voter information supplied by states.

The administration argued that stronger federal safeguards were justified. Opponents argued that the requirements interfered with state authority over election administration and could disrupt voting so close to Election Day.

Other disputes involving voter eligibility and federal access to voter information are continuing.

Debate Over Noncitizen Voting Continues

Trump has repeatedly called for additional measures intended to prevent noncitizens from participating in federal elections.

Federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, but disagreement continues over how governments should verify eligibility and maintain voter-registration databases.

Supporters of stronger verification requirements argue that even isolated cases deserve attention because election laws should be enforced consistently.

Critics counter that documented noncitizen voting is uncommon and warn that overly broad verification programs could create complications for eligible voters.

Those competing concerns have helped make voter-list maintenance another major election-policy issue heading into November.

Congressional Maps Have Changed for Millions

Many voters will also discover that their congressional districts look different from the districts used during the 2024 election.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 10 states delineated new congressional boundaries for the 2026 election cycle: Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Utah, although Missouri’s map has faced additional litigation.

A recent analysis reported by the Associated Press estimated that nearly 35 million Americans — roughly one-tenth of the country — were placed into different House districts during the latest round of mid-decade redistricting.

The unusual burst of map changes grew out of partisan redistricting battles involving Republican- and Democratic-led states.

That means some Americans who voted in one congressional district in 2024 could face an entirely different race in 2026.

Early Voting Gives Americans More Time

For voters who do not want to wait until November 3, early and absentee voting can provide additional options.

Virginia’s early in-person voting period runs from September 18 through October 31. The normal deadline to register or update a registration in Virginia is October 23, although the state provides a provisional-ballot process for certain later registrations.

South Dakota’s absentee voting period also began September 18. Registered voters there may vote absentee in person at their county auditor’s office under state procedures.

Rules differ significantly from one state to another, so voters should check information provided by their state or local election officials rather than assuming deadlines and procedures are the same nationwide.

Mail-Ballot Voters Should Pay Attention to Deadlines

Americans planning to vote by mail may want to pay particularly close attention to mailing and return requirements.

States have different rules governing when ballots must be requested, postmarked and received.

That makes timing important, especially for voters who wait until the final days before Election Day.

Election officials generally provide information about absentee-ballot deadlines, early-voting locations, identification requirements and polling places through official state election websites.

Checking those details ahead of time can help voters avoid last-minute problems.

The Final Campaign Stretch Is Underway

With voting already beginning in parts of the country, the 2026 midterms have moved beyond rallies, advertisements and opinion polls.

Actual ballots are now being cast.

Republicans and Democrats will spend the remaining weeks making their cases to Americans on the economy, immigration, foreign policy, government spending, public safety, election rules and other issues.

For voters, the decision will ultimately come down to which candidates and policies they believe best represent their priorities.

And with control of Congress at stake, the choices Americans make between now and November 3 could shape Washington through the remainder of President Trump’s term.

The campaign may have several weeks left.

The voting has already begun.