Associated Press prepares to call nearly 7,000 races in 2026 midterms

The Associated Press is set to tabulate results for nearly 7,000 races in the 2026 midterm elections, including national congressional contests, state legislative and gubernatorial races, as well as some local elections such as mayor and school board, PBS NewsHour reported.

For the first time in a major general election, the AP is partnering with broadcast news networks to conduct a new Voter Poll, which surveys voter demographics and motivations. This poll will provide results in every state with a statewide election, according to the AP's vice president for U.S. election services, David Scott.

Approximately 4,000 AP journalists will collect results from local voting precincts and election offices nationwide. Around 1,000 vote-entry clerks will input candidates' vote totals into the AP's election night reporting system. The data is then cross-checked with official election returns from county and state sources to ensure accuracy.

The AP's Decision Team, comprising journalists, data analysts, and political science experts, will analyze the data to determine winners. The AP has tracked U.S. elections for 178 years and describes its election night work as "the single largest act of journalism there is," according to Scott.

Meanwhile, states are preparing for Election Day with new congressional maps and voting rules amid heightened security measures. The Department of Justice plans to send 1,000 election monitors across all 50 states, more than double the number in 2022, PBS NewsHour also reported.

Despite ongoing claims about election security from former President Donald Trump, election officials remain confident in the integrity of the system, according to experts interviewed by PBS NewsHour and Votebeat.

Live Senate election results for 2026 will be available, as noted by NPR Politics, providing real-time updates on the outcomes.