Voters across the United States are heading to polling stations today to cast their ballots in the 2026 midterm elections. The elections are taking place against a backdrop of deep political division, with the control of Congress at stake. Photographers from various local stations are documenting the process, capturing scenes from polling locations to the reactions of voters as results begin to arrive.
In Chicago, voters were seen filling out ballots at the McKinley Park Library. In Fairfax, Virginia, an election official prepared the Fairfax County Government Center by taping "VOTE" signs to direct citizens toward the polling room. At the Lutie Lewis Coates Elementary School in Herndon, Virginia, five-year-old Tyler Prehn assisted his father by inserting his ballot into a tabulating machine, while his three-year-old brother, Levi, looked on. Community involvement was also visible in St. Louis, where voters gathered at the Wild Carrot event space.
In Des Moines, Iowa, Diane Mitchell provided support to voters by handing out Dutch Deli sandwiches and cookies from a food truck. In Minneapolis, Peg Ihinger visited a memorial for Alex Pretti, leaving her "I Voted" sticker behind. Ihinger expressed her frustration, stating, "I just want this nightmare to end for our city and our country," and added, "And damn it, they shouldn't have died." Pretti and Renée Good, both 37, were killed earlier this year in separate incidents involving U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during the Trump administration's Operation Metro Surge in January.
Voting activity continued across the country as citizens dropped off ballots at the City Hall Voting Center in San Francisco. In Hartford, Connecticut, a large "VOTE" sign was displayed from a balcony at City Hall, while in Manchester, Connecticut, voters collected their "I Voted" stickers after finishing at Manchester High School. In Hastings, Minnesota, voters utilized electronic voting stations at City Hall. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., a sidewalk in the Columbia Heights neighborhood featured a marking that read, "NATL GUARD 50 FT BACK." Other polling locations included the University Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas, and the Lyon Upper School in Boston's Allston neighborhood.
Tyler Prehn, 5 (right), inserts his father's ballot into the tabulating machine at Lutie Lewis Coates Elementary School in Herndon, Va. His brother, Levi Prehn, 3, looks on. Tyrone Turner/WAMU hide caption
