Millions of Americans will vote in the 2026 midterm elections before Election Day, with early voting already underway in several states and others set to open polling locations in the coming days.
Texas is among the next states to begin early voting, with in-person voting scheduled to start Monday.
The map highlights the different timelines voters face as states prepare for the November 3 election.
Early Voting Kicks Off in Texas, Five Other States on Monday
Texas will begin early in-person voting on Monday, giving registered voters until October 30 to cast their ballots before Election Day, according to the Texas Secretary of State.
Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut and South Carolina are also listed as beginning early voting on October 19 in Ballotpedia's 2026 calendar.
Where Has Early Voting Already Started?
Early voting has already begun in a number of states, with schedules varying across the country.
Minnesota, South Dakota and Virginia were among the earliest to begin, with voting starting September 18. Vermont followed on September 19, and Illinois began on September 24.
Several more states opened early voting in October. California, Maine, Montana and Nebraska had October 5 start dates, followed by Indiana, New Mexico, Ohio and Wyoming on October 6. Arizona began on October 7.
Georgia and Idaho opened early voting on October 13, and Iowa, Kansas, Rhode Island and Tennessee were scheduled to begin on October 14.
North Carolina began early voting on October 15, Washington on October 16 and Nevada and Massachusetts on October 17.
Texas, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado and Connecticut begin early voting on October 19. Colorado began accepting mail ballots on October 2, although the state's required in-person voting centers open on October 19.
Oregon primarily conducts elections by mail, while North Dakota and Pennsylvania have schedules that vary by jurisdiction.
Early Voting Coming Soon in Delaware, Florida and Other States
Beyond the October 19 openings, several states will begin early voting in the final two weeks before Election Day.
Hawaii, Louisiana, Missouri, Wisconsin and Utah are listed as starting on October 20, followed by West Virginia on October 21. Delaware and Maryland are scheduled to begin on October 22.
Florida, Michigan, New Jersey and New York are listed with October 24 start dates, while the District of Columbia is scheduled to begin on October 26. Oklahoma follows on October 28, and Kentucky on October 29.
Highly Contested Midterm Races
The early voting calendar is unfolding alongside competitive contests that could determine control of the House and Senate.
In the Senate, races in Georgia, Michigan, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, Alaska and Texas are among those attracting attention. Texas is drawing particular interest as Republicans defend a seat in a state that has long favored the party in statewide elections.
The House map is also in flux. Both parties are adjusting campaign spending across competitive districts, with strategists reassessing where resources could make the greatest difference.
With early voting opening at different times across the country, campaigns have limited windows to reach voters before ballots are cast. The November 3 results will determine the balance of power in Congress and shape the legislative landscape for the rest of Trump's presidency.
Senate Races to Watch
Georgia: Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff is seeking reelection against Republican Representative Mike Collins. Ossoff has built a substantial fundraising advantage, and some polls cited by Reuters have shown him leading by double digits. The race is a key Democratic priority as Republicans seek to defend their Senate majority.
Michigan: Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is competing against former Republican Representative Mike Rogers for an open Senate seat. El-Sayed narrowly won his party's primary against Representative Haley Stevens, while Rogers has sought to distinguish himself from Trump's tariff policies. Recent polls have shown a close contest, with outside groups spending heavily on both sides.
Maine: Republican Senator Susan Collins faces a challenge from Democrat Troy Jackson. Collins has sought to establish distance from Trump on some issues while maintaining support for key Republican legislative priorities. Democrats see the race as an opportunity to gain a seat in a state former Vice President Kamala Harris carried in 2024.
North Carolina: Democrat Roy Cooper, the state's former governor, is running against Republican Michael Whatley for an open Senate seat. Cooper has maintained a polling lead in surveys cited by Reuters.
Ohio: Democrat Sherrod Brown, a former senator, is attempting to reclaim a seat against Republican Senator Jon Husted, who was appointed after JD Vance left the Senate to become vice president. Trump carried Ohio by a double-digit margin in 2024, but recent polling has shown a competitive race. The contest has also attracted substantial outside spending.
Texas: Democrat James Talarico is challenging Republican Ken Paxton, state attorney general, for a Senate seat in a state that has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994. Paxton won the Republican nomination over incumbent Senator John Cornyn, despite concerns among some Republicans about his prospects in the general election. Talarico has outraised Paxton, and recent polls have shown a close contest. Republicans have committed substantial resources to defending the seat.
Alaska: Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan faces former Democratic Representative Mary Peltola. Although Trump won Alaska by 13 percentage points in 2024, recent polls have shown Peltola leading or running close to Sullivan. Alaska's ranked-choice voting system adds another dimension to the contest, in which voters rank candidates in order of preference.
Other races, including contests in New Hampshire, Iowa and Kansas, are also drawing attention as the parties reassess their paths to a Senate majority.
Trump’s Changing Position on Mail-in Voting
As early voting gets underway across the country ahead of the November midterms, Trump has repeatedly criticized one of its main alternatives: voting by mail. He has called mail-in ballots fraudulent and pledged to end the practice, while continuing to make unsubstantiated claims that alleged fraud cost him the 2020 presidential election.
At a White House event in August 2025, Trump vowed to eliminate mail ballots, saying: “We as a Republican Party are going to do everything possible that we get rid of mail-in ballots ... because they're corrupt.”
“We're going to end mail-in voting. It's a fraud,” he added.
On March 31, Trump sought to expand the federal government's role in elections, signing an executive order directing federal agencies to compile citizenship verification lists and instructing the U.S. Postal Service to pursue new rules governing mail-in and absentee ballots. The administration said the measures were intended to strengthen election security and prevent ineligible voting.
The order did not abolish early in-person voting but sought to change aspects of how mail ballots are distributed and handled. Critics argued that the measures could burden eligible voters and encroach on states' authority to administer elections.
The administration's efforts subsequently faced legal challenges. In September, the Supreme Court declined to allow the Postal Service to enforce the proposed restrictions ahead of the midterms, Reuters reported.
But as the November 3 elections approach, Trump's messaging has shifted.
On October 5, he acknowledged that Republicans could vote by mail, despite his longstanding opposition to the practice. “They can vote by mail if they want, because we seem to have no choice because a lot of people want to vote by mail,” he told reporters at the White House, according to Reuters.
The remarks contrast with his previous calls to eliminate mail-in voting. Discouraging the practice could also limit options for Republican voters who rely on it, including some rural residents and people who have difficulty reaching polling place.
What Voters Should Know
Early voting remains governed by state and local rules. Start dates, polling locations, operating hours, identification requirements and mail-ballot deadlines vary across the country.
A statewide start date does not necessarily mean every county or municipality opens its polling locations on the same day. Some states also distinguish between early in-person voting and absentee or mail-in voting.
Voters should consult their state or local election office for the rules and deadlines that apply to them.
As early voting gets underway, the dispute over election security, voting access and federal authority is adding another point of contention ahead of the November 3 midterms.