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ABC News

Election Day 2026 live updates: DOJ election monitors to be dispatched across all 50 states

PHOTO: A voter fills out their ballot at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, November 3, 2026 in Washington.
Live
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
ABC News Live
By ABC NEWS
Last Updated: November 3, 2026, 4:57 PM

Voters are heading to the polls on Tuesday for the last day of voting in the high-stakes midterm elections.

There are several key House and Senate races that could determine the balance of power in Congress as well as significant races for governor around the country. The elections could ultimately determine how effective President Donald Trump's agenda is in the back half of his second term.

Watch ABC beginning at 7 p.m. EST for live Election Night 2026 coverage and results. Also streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

Key Headlines

  • Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton votes
  • Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy votes in Columbus
  • Schumer 'nauseously optimistic' about Democrats chances
  • About 1,000 election monitors to be dispatched across all 50 states, DOJ says
  • Trump says Iran war cost 'peanuts' compared to 'worth' he’s generated for US
Here's how the news is developing.

Nov 03, 2026 4:57 PM

Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger promises 'quick results' on election night

Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger reassured the public that Georgia's elections are secure and that results will come quickly.

"The big day is here, and Georgia's ready... We are the gold standard for election administration," Raffensperger said.

"We've seen Georgians turn out in record numbers during early voting," he added.

PHOTO: Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger reassured the public that Georgia's elections are secure and that results will come in quickly tonight while speaking, Nov. 3, 2026 in Atlanta.
WSB
Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger reassured the public that Georgia's elections are secure and that results will come in quickly tonight while speaking, Nov. 3, 2026 in Atlanta.
WSB

Raffensperger said that he expects the early vote to be uploaded by 8 p.m. Tuesday.

"Quick results tonight. You know, all of you don't want to be here till three o'clock in the morning. Neither do I," Raffensperger said. "The counties understand that, and they don't want to be there till three o'clock in the morning. So be working really hard and then uploading those results at 8 p.m."

He said that roughly 1,000 early ballots that need to be rescanned in Fulton County as a precaution will not delay the election results.

"With Fulton, approximately 1,000 ballots from advance voting will be rescanned as the equipment was taken out of service as a precaution due to screen errors. But this will not delay the results in any way," Raffensperger said.

According to Raffensperger, one precinct in Mitchell County opened 10 minutes late; he said that if "they need 10 minutes late at the end of the day, they'll be adding that."

-ABC News’ Halle Troadec


Nov 03, 2026 4:46 PM

Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton votes

Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton voted in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday morning, as the state's closely watched race for governor begins.

Acton is facing off against Republican candidate and former businessman Vivek Ramaswamy in a race jostled by controversial ads and bitter campaigning.

PHOTO: Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton poses for a photo after voting and putting on an "Ohio Voted" sticker at a polling place on the Capital University campus in Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 3, 2026.
Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo
Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton poses for a photo after voting and putting on an "Ohio Voted" sticker at a polling place on the Capital University campus in Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 3, 2026.
Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo

Speaking to reporters after casting her ballot, Acton expressed optimism about her chances of winning.

“The energy of folks, there's actual joy and hope out here, and watching people with one another, I almost feel like I'm watching it instead of being in the middle of it,” Acton said. “So it's a great uplifting feeling. We didn't get here overnight in Ohio. We have a lot of work ahead of us, so we're going to need that energy because I'm going to be asking more of everybody as we move forward.”

Speaking to reporters after casting her ballot, Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton expressed optimism about her chances of winning against Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
1:41
WSYX
Speaking to reporters after casting her ballot, Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton expressed optimism about her chances of winning against Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

She also said Ohioans are struggling with costs and looking for someone to bring the temperature down.

Acton said she sees Ohio as a bellwether: “I do think we are ground zero for decency and compassion and integrity being on the ballot, and I am very hopeful that we'll see that continue to grow.”

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim and Diana Paulsen


Nov 03, 2026 3:27 PM

Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy votes in Columbus

Speaking to reporters before casting his ballot in Columbus Tuesday morning, Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy acknowledged challenges facing voters.

“It is a tough time. There's no doubt about it,” he said. “People are looking not just to make ends meet, but get ahead… This election, especially for the role of governor, just comes down to who's going to allow your family to live a better life.”

PHOTO: Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy casts his ballot alongside his wife Dr. Apoorva Ramaswamy on Election Day at a polling location at the Burbank Early Childhood School, November 3, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy casts his ballot alongside his wife Dr. Apoorva Ramaswamy on Election Day at a polling location at the Burbank Early Childhood School, November 3, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

“I've been a candidate the whole time. But today, I was also wearing my hat as a voter. And as I think about every other voter who's checking that box next to my name, or frankly anything on that ballot, I want them to hold me, hold all of us on this ticket accountable to deliver for them,” Ramaswamy added after casting his ballot.

Speaking to reporters before casting his ballot in Columbus Tuesday morning, Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy acknowledged challenges facing voters.
1:36
Speaking to reporters before casting his ballot in Columbus Tuesday morning, Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy acknowledged challenges facing voters.

Ramaswamy did not directly discuss his opponent, Democrat Amy Acton.

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim and Diana Paulsen



Nov 03, 2026 3:26 PM

Schumer 'nauseously optimistic' about Democrats chances

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told ABC news on Tuesday morning that he expects Democrats will win control of the Senate and he will be the next Senate majority leader.

Talking to reporters shortly after he voted in Brooklyn, Schumer described his mood as "nauseously optimistic." If Democrats regain the house majority, it would be "up to" Trump on whether to work with them, Schumer said.

PHOTO: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer votes during the US midterm elections at a polling station in Brooklyn, New York, November 3, 2026.
David Dee Delgado/Reuters
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer votes during the US midterm elections at a polling station in Brooklyn, New York, November 3, 2026.
David Dee Delgado/Reuters

"Look, it'll be up to him. The American people want us to do things that make their lives better. Trump has refused to listen to them," Schumer said. "He's even, at time to time, sort of dissed those costs, those kinds of things that people are caring about of costs and things like that. Will he change? I don't think I don't know. But we're going to fight Trump tooth and nail and focus on the issues no matter what he does."

PHOTO: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) gestures as he arrives at a polling station to cast his ballot during the US midterm elections in Brooklyn, New York, US, on Nov. 3, 2026.
David Dee Delgado/Reuters
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) gestures as he arrives at a polling station to cast his ballot during the US midterm elections in Brooklyn, New York, US, on Nov. 3, 2026.
David Dee Delgado/Reuters

Schumer previously served as majority leader between 2021 and 2025.

Asked whether Democrats would seek to work with the president or whether they would seek to hold him accountable, Schumer said that would in some ways be up to Trump.

Talking to reporters shortly after he voted in Brooklyn, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described his mood as "nauseously optimistic."
0:41
Talking to reporters shortly after he voted in Brooklyn, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described his mood as "nauseously optimistic."

"We'll see if he will actually change his ways and join," Schumer said. "But whether he does or not, because I don't think he will, we are going to keep fighting for the people and doing what they asked us to do. We're listening to them. Trump is not."

-ABC News' Jonathan Karl


Nov 03, 2026 12:11 PM

About 1,000 election monitors to be dispatched across all 50 states, DOJ says

The Justice Department released Tuesday its list of jurisdictions where it plans to send election monitors, in what it is describing as the "largest" federal monitoring effort in history.

The department's statement says it will dispatch a total of roughly 1,000 monitors to all 50 states -- though in a court hearing Monday an official estimated the number was closer to 900, because the department was having initial difficulties identifying and training personnel for the effort in time for Election Day.

PHOTO: A voter casts their ballot during the midterm elections early in the day at the Brooklyn Museum in New York on Nov. 3, 2026.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images
A voter casts their ballot during the midterm elections early in the day at the Brooklyn Museum in New York on Nov. 3, 2026.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Election monitor deployments are a routine practice across administrations typically with staff from the DOJ Civil Rights Division's Voting Section, though the announcements have been subject to growing criticism from Democrats in recent months given the Trump administration's aggressive pursuit of voter data that they say is intended to ensure undocumented immigrants aren't registered to vote.

PHOTO: A volunteer places a "Vote Here" sign at the Brooklyn Museum in New York on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo
A volunteer places a "Vote Here" sign at the Brooklyn Museum in New York on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo

DOJ has also disclosed it is pulling in officials from outside agencies such as the Bureau of Prisons and the Drug Enforcement Administration to join the election monitoring effort, though an official assured a federal judge yesterday that all from those agencies would be "clerical" workers who are not authorized to carry guns as part of their daily work.

D.C. District judge Reggie Walton rejected an emergency effort yesterday to limit DOJ's election monitoring program that was brought by civil rights groups including the NAACP, after finding the groups failed to put forward sufficient evidence that the monitors would prove intimidating to voters.

-ABC News’ Alexander Mallin


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