Election night
How to watch election night 2026
When each TV network and stream starts its coverage of the Tuesday, November 3, 2026 midterm elections. Times are Eastern (ET), with UK time alongside.
By Map the Midterms Editorial Team
Last updated: October 31, 2026. Unofficial information. Not affiliated with any government or election authority. Confirm with your official election office (Vote.gov).
Times at a glance
US clocks go back on Sunday, November 1, so election night runs on Eastern Standard Time. UK readers on GMT should add five hours to each Eastern time. Coverage that starts at 7 p.m. ET begins at midnight in London.
| Network | Program | Starts (ET) | UK (GMT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNN | Election Night in America | 4 p.m. Tue | 9 p.m. Tue |
| C-SPAN | Election night results | 4 p.m. Tue | 9 p.m. Tue |
| NBC | Decision ’26 | 5 p.m. Tue to 6 a.m. Wed | 10 p.m. Tue to 11 a.m. Wed |
| CBS News (streaming) | Election 2026: The Nerd Show | 5 p.m. Tue | 10 p.m. Tue |
| Fox News Channel | FOX News Democracy 26 | 6 p.m. Tue | 11 p.m. Tue |
| MS Now | We the People | 6 p.m. Tue | 11 p.m. Tue |
| BBC News | US midterms coverage | 6:30 p.m. Tue | 11:30 p.m. Tue |
| ABC | ABC News Election Night: Vote 2026 | 7 p.m. Tue to 2 a.m. Wed | Midnight to 7 a.m. Wed |
| CBS | America Decides: Election 2026 | 7 p.m. Tue | Midnight Wed |
| NewsNation | Decision Desk 2026: Election Night in America | 7 p.m. Tue | Midnight Wed |
Network by network
CNN: Election Night in America
4 p.m. Tue ET (9 p.m. Tue UK). Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper anchor from Washington. John Berman and Kate Bolduan take over from New York at 2 a.m. ET (7 a.m. UK).
Source: TV Insider, “Election Night 2026: How to Watch the Midterm Results Live” (October 30, 2026)
C-SPAN: Election night results
4 p.m. Tue ET (9 p.m. Tue UK). C-SPAN carries results and candidate speeches without commercials. C-SPAN2 and C-SPAN3 carry two outside live shows.
Source: TV Insider, “Election Night 2026: How to Watch the Midterm Results Live” (October 30, 2026)
NBC: Decision ’26
5 p.m. Tue to 6 a.m. Wed ET (10 p.m. Tue to 11 a.m. Wed UK). Most local NBC stations join at 6:30 p.m. ET (11:30 p.m. UK). Peacock coverage also starts at 5 p.m. ET, with a multiview screen from 5:30 p.m. ET.
CBS News (streaming): Election 2026: The Nerd Show
5 p.m. Tue ET (10 p.m. Tue UK). A results and data program on CBS News digital platforms, ahead of the network broadcast.
Source: TV Insider, “Election Night 2026: How to Watch the Midterm Results Live” (October 30, 2026)
Fox News Channel: FOX News Democracy 26
6 p.m. Tue ET (11 p.m. Tue UK). Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum anchor. Fox Business simulcasts from 6 p.m. ET Tuesday to 6 a.m. ET Wednesday (11 a.m. UK).
MS Now: We the People
6 p.m. Tue ET (11 p.m. Tue UK). Rachel Maddow leads. A late team takes over at 2 a.m. ET (7 a.m. UK).
Source: TV Insider, “Election Night 2026: How to Watch the Midterm Results Live” (October 30, 2026)
BBC News: US midterms coverage
6:30 p.m. Tue ET (11:30 p.m. Tue UK). Clive Myrie presents from Washington.
Source: TV Insider, “Election Night 2026: How to Watch the Midterm Results Live” (October 30, 2026)
ABC: ABC News Election Night: Vote 2026
7 p.m. Tue to 2 a.m. Wed ET (Midnight to 7 a.m. Wed UK). David Muir anchors.
Source: TV Insider, “Election Night 2026: How to Watch the Midterm Results Live” (October 30, 2026)
CBS: America Decides: Election 2026
7 p.m. Tue ET (Midnight Wed UK). Tony Dokoupil and Norah O’Donnell anchor.
Source: TV Insider, “Election Night 2026: How to Watch the Midterm Results Live” (October 30, 2026)
NewsNation: Decision Desk 2026: Election Night in America
7 p.m. Tue ET (Midnight Wed UK). Race calls come from Decision Desk HQ.
Source: TV Insider, “Election Night 2026: How to Watch the Midterm Results Live” (October 30, 2026)
Before you tune in
- Schedules can change on the night. Check the network’s own listings before you watch.
- Networks make their own race projections. Those calls are not official results. States count and certify the votes, often days or weeks later.
- Poll closing times are set by each state. The first polls close at 6 p.m. local time in parts of Indiana and Kentucky.
- Streaming options and prices vary by provider. We list only what the networks have announced.
Unofficial figures from state election offices appear on our election night results page after polls close, and race by race on the results tracker. Map the Midterms does not call races.
Sources
NBC and Fox News times are from those networks’ own announcements. The other times are as reported by TV Insider on October 30, 2026. CNN also posted its plans in the CNN Pressroom.