United States Congress elections, 2026

Elections to the U.S. Congress will take place on November 3, 2026. All 435 districts in the U.S. House of Representatives and 33 seats in the U.S. Senate are up for election. Five of the House’s six non-voting members are also up for election.

Heading into the 2026 general elections, Republicans control both chambers of Congress. They hold a 53–45 majority in the Senate, while two independents caucus with the Democrats, effectively giving the Democrats 47 votes for organizational purposes. In the House, Republicans have a 218-212 majority, with four vacancies. One member, Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-Calif.), caucuses with the Republicans, effectively giving Republicans 219 votes for organizational purposes.

In the 2026 general elections, Democrats need to gain a net of four seats to win a majority in the Senate. Meanwhile, Republicans can lose no more than two seats to retain a majority in the chamber.

As a result of the 2024 general elections, Republicans won a 53-45 majority in the Senate, while two independents caucused with the Democrats, effectively giving the Democrats 47 votes for organizational purposes.^[1] Before those elections, Democrats held a 47-49 majority, with four independents.^[2] Three of those independents caucused with the Democratic Party, and one other counted towards the Democratic majority for committee purposes.^[3] Democrats could not lose any seats and retain a majority in the chamber. Meanwhile, Republicans needed a net gain of two seats to take the majority. In the 2024 general elections, Republicans gained a net of four seats.

In the 2026 general elections, Democrats need to gain a net of three districts to win a majority in the House. Meanwhile, Republicans can lose no more than two districts and retain a majority in the House.

As a result of the 2024 general elections, Republicans gained a 220-215 majority in the chamber. Before the elections, Republicans had a 219-213 majority with three vacancies — one resulting from the death of a Democratic member, one from a Democratic resignation, and one from a Republican resignation. Democrats needed to retain the two vacant seats and gain a net of four seats to win a majority. They retained control of both seats and gained a net of one seat. Republicans could only lose a net of three seats — including the vacant seat — and retain control of the chamber.

As of June 1, 2026, 11 incumbent senators and 58 incumbent representatives are not running for re-election in 2026.

Ballotpedia is following elections for 12 seats in the U.S. Senate as battlegrounds races in 2026. Democrats control two of those seats, and Republicans control seven. Ballotpedia is also following elections for 43 districts in the U.S. House as battleground races in 2026. Democrats control 23 of those districts, and Republicans control 20.

Two special elections are also scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026. One special election will fill the last two years of the six-year term that Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) was elected to in 2022. The other special election will fill the last two years of the six-year term that Vice President J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) was elected to in 2022.

Those elected to the U.S. Senate in the regularly scheduled elections on November 3, 2026, will begin their six-year terms on January 3, 2027. Additionally, those elected to the U.S. House in the regularly scheduled elections on November 3, 2026, will begin on the same date.