Election Night Guide: The Senate Races That Will Decide Control, Hour by Hour
Democrats need a net gain of four seats for a Senate majority. Here are the races to watch as polls close Tuesday night, with close counts and ranked-choice voting potentially delaying the answer.
Control of the U.S. Senate may not be settled on election night. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take a majority, and a Reuters election-night guide identifies a path running through competitive races in North Carolina, Maine, Michigan, Texas and beyond. Poll closings start the count; they do not guarantee an immediate result. All times below are Eastern.
7PM: South Carolina is an early race to watch. Reuters describes a close contest there as a possible sign of Democratic strength in a state that normally favors Republicans. It is an early indicator, not a projection of how the rest of the country will vote.
7:30PM: North Carolina comes into focus as former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper seeks a Republican-held seat. Reuters identifies it as an important potential pickup. Ohio also closes at 7:30 p.m., with Democrat Sherrod Brown attempting a Senate comeback against Republican Jon Husted, according to VoteHub's guide.
8PM: Maine, most of Michigan and most of Texas begin their evening counts. Maine is a Republican-held seat Democrats are seeking to flip; Michigan is a Democratic-held seat they need to defend. Reuters notes that Michigan's contest pits Democrat Abdul El-Sayed against Republican Mike Rogers. Texas gives Democrats a possible route to an additional pickup, but past competitive campaigns there have ended in Republican victories. Most Texas polls close at 8 p.m. Eastern; the Mountain time portion closes an hour later. The remaining Michigan polls also close at 9 p.m. Eastern.
9PM: Iowa and Nebraska join the count, adding more possible routes for Democrats in traditionally Republican states. Kansas, where polls generally close at 8 p.m. Eastern, is another race Reuters flags as a potential opening. A Democratic majority would require winning enough of these opportunities while avoiding losses in seats the party already holds.
12AM and after: Most Alaska polls close at midnight Eastern, with the last polls closing at 1 a.m. Wednesday. Alaska and Maine use ranked-choice voting, and the final result in a close race can take days. Reuters also warns that legal disputes could slow a final answer. Early leads can shift as different communities and types of ballots are counted, so the first returns should not be treated as final results.
