Control of Congress and the future of President Trump’s agenda hang in the balance as American voters prepare to cast ballots in the 2026 midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3. With all 435 House seats, 35 Senate races, and gubernatorial contests across 39 states up for grabs, major news networks are streaming election night. Alongside traditional cable options, major news outlets have rolled out expanded free digital streaming plans for viewers tracking results without a traditional television subscription.
CBS News will kick off its primary television coverage at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 3, under the banner “America Decides: Election 2026.” Anchors Tony Dokoupil and Norah O’Donnell will helm the main set. They will be joined by “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King, “Face the Nation” moderator and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan, and political reporters Robert Costa, Major Garrett, Nancy Cordes, and Ed O’Keefe.
For audiences cutting the cord, live coverage streams continuously on CBS News 24/7, Paramount+, YouTube, the CBS News app, and CBSNews.com. Viewers can also utilize a basic indoor or rooftop antenna to pick up local network stations at no cost, or tap into free live streams offered by ABC News Live, NBC News NOW, and PBS NewsHour. Meanwhile, C-SPAN plans to deliver more than 20 hours of commercial-free coverage starting at 4 p.m. ET on Election Day, while select local TV stations will stream results via dedicated apps for Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV.
The Data Desk and Streaming Schedules
Data-driven programming begins early on digital platforms. Starting at 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, CBS News will stream “Election 2026: The Nerd Show.” Hosted by CBS News executive director of elections and surveys Anthony Salvanto and CBS News congressional correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns, the program features analyses from Democratic and Republican pollsters and election data experts.
Throughout the evening, Anthony Salvanto will provide live statistical updates. Field reporting will come from correspondents stationed in Washington and nationwide, including Weijia Jiang at the White House, Nikole Killion, Adriana Diaz, Matt Gutman, Skyler Henry, Lana Zak, Kris Van Cleave, Taurean Small, Jan Crawford, and Nicole Sganga. Political analysts from both sides of the aisle, alongside specialists in election law and security, round out the network’s on-air team.
Local CBS stations across 15 owned markets are integrating network broadcasts with regional streaming coverage. However, notable regional exceptions remain; CBS News Atlanta is not streaming its local feed digitally, though area viewers can tune into WUPA Channel 69.
Staggered Poll Closings Across Time Zones
Election night tracking requires patience as polls close at staggered intervals across the country. The first batch of states closes at 7 p.m. ET, followed by additional closures at 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 9 p.m. ET.
Western states maintain later schedules. Polling places in California and several other Western states remain open until 11 p.m. ET, with Hawaii following an hour later. Alaska closes out the night at 1 a.m. ET, featuring a closely watched Senate race.
State-specific rules and ballot designs mean certain outcomes will take significantly longer to finalize. High-profile measures, such as California’s proposed billionaire tax, must wait for full tabulation alongside tight congressional margins. Alaska’s implementation of ranked-choice voting introduces additional layers to the timeline. If no candidate secures more than 50 percent of first-choice selections, the state initiates subsequent rounds of counting, meaning full results for those ballots will not be available until 15 days after the election (Nov. 18).
Following election night, CBS News coverage transitions back to linear television on Wednesday morning with “CBS Mornings,” while CBS News 24/7 continues streaming rolling analysis throughout the day.
