NBC News lays out its Nov. 3 election night coverage plan
NBC News’ Politics Desk listed its coverage times, results tools and poll closings for the Nov. 3, 2026 midterms.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
2 min read
For viewers searching for NBC News election night 2026 coverage, the network’s Politics Desk published a Nov. 3 guide to its own broadcast schedule, live results tools and state-by-state poll closings for that night’s midterm elections.
The guide said control of the House and Senate was on the ballot. It said Democrats needed net gains of three House seats to take that chamber and four Senate seats to take the Senate.
When did NBC News election night coverage begin?
NBC News scheduled Steve Kornacki’s Big Board livestream for 5:30 p.m. ET, followed by the network’s primetime election coverage at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Politics Desk also directed readers to NBC News results pages for Senate, House and governor races, plus a live blog for rolling updates.
Its recommended reading included explainers on closing times and early bellwether contests, the NBC News Exit Poll, and the factors its Decision Desk uses in determining when control of either congressional chamber can be called.
Poll closing is a timetable, not a declaration of winners. Results displays can change throughout the night, as NBC News’ live widgets did.
What time did polls close on Nov. 3, 2026?
- 7 p.m. ET: Georgia, Indiana and Kentucky, with parts of both states closing earlier; South Carolina; Vermont; and Virginia.
- 7:30 p.m. ET: North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia.
- 8 p.m. ET: Alabama, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, with parts closing earlier, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Tennessee.
- 8:30 p.m. ET: Arkansas.
- 9 p.m. ET: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, with parts closing earlier, Louisiana, Michigan, with parts closing earlier, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, with parts closing earlier, South Dakota, with parts closing earlier, Texas, with parts closing earlier, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
- 10 p.m. ET: Montana, Nevada and Utah.
- 11 p.m. ET: California, Idaho and Oregon, with parts of each closing earlier, and Washington.
- Midnight ET: Hawaii.
- 1 a.m. ET: Alaska, with parts closing earlier.
Several states span more than one time zone, which is why the guide flagged partial earlier closings. NBC News’ guide was a date-specific rundown of its Nov. 3, 2026 programming and election resources, rather than a general schedule for future elections.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.