CNN election night coverage of the 2026 midterms starts at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 3, when Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper open “Election Night in America” from Washington. CNN announced the full plan on October 28. It covers the TV channel, the CNN app, a free livestream on YouTube and TikTok, and a new live race tool. Here’s the schedule, who is on air, and the simplest way to watch from the US, the UK or the rest of Europe.
Key facts (as of October 2026)
- CNN’s “Election Night in America” begins at 4 p.m. ET (9 p.m. GMT) on November 3, 2026, anchored by Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper.
- A free “CNN Office Hours” election night livestream with John Berman and Harry Enten starts at 7 p.m. ET on YouTube, TikTok, cnn.com and the CNN app.
- CNN International carries CNN’s election programming from 12 a.m. ET on November 3, so viewers in the UK and Europe can follow the US feed.
What is CNN planning for its election night coverage?
CNN is running one long rolling broadcast that starts before most polls close and lasts into the next morning. The network calls it “immersive, multi-platform coverage,” and the plan spreads the work across a big team.
Tapper and Cooper anchor the main desk in Washington. John King runs the Magic Wall, as he has for years. Dana Bash covers the key Senate races, while Boris Sanchez handles governor races. Kaitlan Collins reports reaction from President Trump and the White House, and Erin Burnett hosts a live panel from Texas.
Around them, David Chalian and Kasie Hunt track polling and battlegrounds. Pamela Brown follows turnout, Laura Coates gives legal analysis and Tom Foreman fact-checks claims. David Axelrod, Scott Jennings and Van Jones join as commentators, so the panel includes voices from both parties.
About 30 correspondents are spread across states with close races, including Maine, Ohio, Texas, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Alaska and California. Then, from 2 a.m. ET, John Berman and Kate Bolduan take over from New York with Harry Enten and Mark Preston for the late count.
CNN election night coverage schedule (ET, GMT and CET)
CNN’s Election Day programming starts at midnight and builds toward the 4 p.m. special. US clocks fall back on November 1, so on November 3 New York is five hours behind London and six behind Paris or Berlin.
| Time (ET) | UK (GMT) | Central Europe (CET) | What’s on |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 a.m. | 5 a.m. | 6 a.m. | Elex Michaelson (West Coast); CNN International picks up CNN’s election programming |
| 3 a.m. | 8 a.m. | 9 a.m. | Erica Hill, New York |
| 5 a.m. | 10 a.m. | 11 a.m. | Audie Cornish, Washington |
| 7 a.m. | 12 p.m. | 1 p.m. | John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner, New York |
| 10 a.m. | 3 p.m. | 4 p.m. | Anderson Cooper, Washington |
| 12 p.m. | 5 p.m. | 6 p.m. | Wolf Blitzer and Erin Burnett, with a panel in Austin, Texas |
| 4 p.m. | 9 p.m. | 10 p.m. | “Election Night in America” with Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper |
| 7 p.m. | 12 a.m. (Nov 4) | 1 a.m. (Nov 4) | “CNN Office Hours: Election Night Special” livestream |
| 2 a.m. (Nov 4) | 7 a.m. | 8 a.m. | John Berman and Kate Bolduan lead late coverage from New York |
For the order in which states finish voting, our guide to poll closing times by state lines up neatly with this table.
How to watch CNN election night coverage in the US
The TV broadcast is the full experience, and you have three official ways to get it. Pick the one that matches what you already pay for.
Cable, satellite or a live TV streaming service
CNN is part of most cable and satellite packages. It’s also on the main live TV streaming services, such as YouTube TV and Sling TV. If you have one of these, you can sign in to the CNN app or cnn.com with that provider account and watch the live channel on your phone or computer.
CNN All Access
All Access is CNN’s own subscription. It streams the live channel without a TV package and costs $6.99 a month in the US as of September 2026, according to agoodmovietowatch’s price tracker. CNN’s help pages note that without a provider or subscription, you only get a one-minute preview of live TV. So if you plan to watch all night, sort out access a day early.
Free options
The free choice is the 7 p.m. ET “Office Hours” livestream, which runs on YouTube, TikTok, cnn.com/officehours and the CNN app. CNN says the interactive Q&A part is for subscribers. The digital Magic Wall and the new CNN Sightline tool also live on cnn.com and the app, with extra features for subscribers. Our CNN live stream guide compares every paid and free route in more detail.
Coming soon: the NewsLive streaming app. We’re building one subscription for live international news on Android, Roku, Fire TV and desktop. The service is under development — follow NewsLive for launch updates.
Can I watch CNN election night coverage in the UK or Europe?
Yes. CNN International switches to CNN’s US election programming from 12 a.m. ET on November 3, which is 5 a.m. in London. That means Europeans see the same anchors and race calls, not a separate international show.
In the UK, the easiest legal route is CNN All Access, which launched there on October 20 at £4.99 a month. Our CNN All Access UK guide covers the plans. Elsewhere in Europe, All Access isn’t sold yet, so you need a TV package that carries CNN International. The CNN International guide lists the options by country.
Timing is the catch. Polls in many states close at 7 p.m. ET, which is midnight in London and 1 a.m. in Paris. If you’d rather sleep, the 7 a.m. GMT late show is a good time to catch up on what was called overnight.
What’s new in CNN’s coverage this year?
Two tools are new in the CNN election night coverage this year. CNN Sightline comes from CNN’s Decision Desk and gives a live read on who is ahead in Senate and governor races. It appears on air and on cnn.com. The updated digital Magic Wall shows results down to county level, plus ballot measures and voter polls, and app users can switch on alerts for specific races.
Spanish-language viewers get their own show too. “Voto Latino” runs from 7 p.m. to midnight ET on CNN en Español, with Juan Carlos López and Gabi Frías in Atlanta. It also airs on the free CNN Noticias FAST channel.
If you want an alternative to cable news, our look at the independent election night livestreams covers shows that stream only online. To compare a rival network, our guide to Fox’s Democracy 26 night sets out its anchors and streams. For the bigger picture of all networks, see the Streaming News section.
Frequently asked questions
What time does CNN election night coverage start?
“Election Night in America” starts at 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. CT) on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. In the UK that’s 9 p.m. GMT, and in Central Europe it’s 10 p.m.
Is CNN’s election night stream free?
The live TV channel needs a pay-TV login or a CNN All Access subscription after a short preview. However, the 7 p.m. ET “Office Hours” livestream is on YouTube and TikTok, and the results maps on cnn.com are open to all, with extras for subscribers.
Who are CNN’s election night anchors?
Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper lead the coverage, with John King at the Magic Wall. Dana Bash, Kaitlan Collins, Erin Burnett and Boris Sanchez also have major roles.
