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The midterms have come and gone, and this year, there was so much at stake: It was the first nationwide election day since President Joe Biden was voted into office, and the results will ultimately decide which party is in charge of the U.S. House and Senate for the next two years, as well as who will lead a number of impactful local office. Our new officials will be tasked with working on dire issues like the economy, climate change, and the future of abortion access—and who’s sitting in office could make the difference between forward momentum or a rollback of rights and progress. But when exactly will we know who won each and every midterm election? Below, a guide for how to follow the races.
When were the midterm elections?
Election Day was Tuesday, Nov. 8, though some states offered early voting to make the elections more accessible.
When will the midterms results all be announced?
In years past, the midterm election results have typically been announced the night of Election Day after the polls closed or the morning after, a pattern which held true for many 2022 races. But overall, this year was a bit more complicated. As experts warned, more people have been voting by mail due to the pandemic, and mail ballots take much longer to count. It’s already taken days—and will likely take more—to find out the results from some of the closest-watched races. At the time of this update, the nation is still waiting on final results from important Senate races in Nevada and Arizona, as well as a number of House races.
There’s also a key Senate race in Georgia, which will officially go to a runoff election on Dec. 6, meaning we’ll have to wait until then for the final results. If either party is able to win in both Nevada and Arizona, they will be guaranteed control of the Senate no matter who wins in Georgia; if Democrats win one while Republicans win the other, Georgia will be the tiebreaker. (Learn more about the Georgia runoff here.) As for the U.S. House, there are still about 30 seats still undecided; Republicans are expected—though not guaranteed—to take control of the chamber.
Just remember: A long wait time is not a sign of voter fraud. So be patient, and stay vigilant as we wait for results. You can keep tabs on who’s winning each race at outlets like NBC News, The New York Times, and FiveThirtyEight.
This post will continue to be updated.
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.
