Election Night: Senate Race Remains Tight

Vote counting begins Tuesday evening, though final tallies may take days or weeks.

Control of the House is expected to be determined sooner due to larger margins. The Senate race remains uncertain, with seven states in close contention. Two states use ranked-choice voting, a method that prolongs the count.

Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Virginia, and Vermont close their polls at 7 p.m. ET. Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff is positioned to defeat Republican Rep. Mike Collins for the Senate seat. The governor's race is tighter, pitting billionaire Rick Jackson against former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger noted that new laws require counties to report results within an hour of polls closing.

North Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia close at 7:30 p.m. ET. North Carolina's Senate seat is viewed as the most likely Democratic flip. The race pits former Gov. Roy Cooper against former RNC Chairman Michael Whatley. In Ohio, Republican Sen. Jon Husted and former Sen. Sherrod Brown are deadlocked. The state's governor's race features Democrat Amy Acton leading Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. Ramaswamy recently aired an ad featuring Acton's estranged mother, a move that generated significant backlash.

Polls close in more than half the country by 8 p.m. ET, including Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire. Florida's redrew congressional maps face their first test, with seven competitive House seats. Pennsylvania, which had the most competitive House races, now leans Democratic in three of four toss-ups. New Hampshire's Senate race between Chris Pappas and John Sununu has widened in Pappas's favor.

Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Texas close at 9 p.m. ET. Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, and Texas feature competitive Senate races. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico faces Republican Ken Paxton in the governor's race. Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall faces Democrat Adam Hamilton in a contest that has become close to call. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers are in a toss-up Senate race. El-Sayed's win would be a major victory for the party's progressive wing.

Montana, Nevada, and Utah close at 10 p.m. ET. Montana's first congressional district is a toss-up between Democrat Sam Forstag and Republican Aaron Flint. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo faces Attorney General Aaron Ford in a competitive race. California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington close at 11 p.m. ET. California's new congressional map, approved by voters in 2025, has made the state less competitive for Republicans in recent weeks.