The easiest way to watch midterm election results live on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, is free: NBC News NOW streams on YouTube, Peacock and NBCNews.com, and CBS News 24/7 carries a data-heavy results show from 5 p.m. ET. If you have cable or a live TV streaming service, Fox News starts its main coverage at 6 p.m. ET. Every network will be calling races for the House and Senate well past midnight.
Below is a network-by-network rundown, built from the networks’ own announcements as of late October 2026, plus the cheapest legal way to watch each one.
Key facts (as of October 2026)
- Election night is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
- NBC News NOW streams free on YouTube, Peacock and NBCNews.com, and CBS News 24/7 runs a results show from 5 p.m. ET.
- Fox News starts its main coverage at 6 p.m. ET for cable and live-TV subscribers.
Election night at a glance
All times are Eastern. Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, so election night runs on standard time.
There are more ways than ever to watch midterm election results live, from free streams to cable news specials.
| Network | Start time (ET) | Lead anchors | Where to stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBC (broadcast) | 5 p.m., most stations join at 6:30 p.m. | Savannah Guthrie, Tom Llamas, Kristen Welker, Hallie Jackson | Peacock, NBC app, local NBC station |
| NBC News NOW | All day | Rotating NBC News anchors | Free on YouTube, Peacock, NBCNews.com, Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel |
| Fox News Channel | 6 p.m. | Bret Baier, Martha MacCallum | TV provider login, FOX One, live TV services |
| Fox Business | 6 p.m. (simulcast of Fox News) | Same as Fox News | TV provider login, live TV services |
| CBS News 24/7 (“The Nerd Show”) | 5 p.m. | Anthony Salvanto, Caitlin Huey-Burns | Free on CBS News 24/7, YouTube, X |
| CNN | Evening, check listings | CNN’s political team | TV provider login, CNN All Access, live TV services |
NBC News: 13 hours of live coverage
NBC News calls its plan “Decision ’26” and says it is the most extensive midterm coverage it has ever done. The broadcast network goes live at 5 p.m. ET with Hallie Jackson NOW. Most local NBC stations pick up the coverage at 6:30 p.m., when Savannah Guthrie, Tom Llamas, Kristen Welker and Hallie Jackson take over from 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
If you want to watch midterm election results live from the moment polls close, the long network specials are the place to start.
Steve Kornacki works the Big Board through the night. Craig Melvin and Kate Snow anchor the overnight shift from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. ET, and TODAY picks up the story Wednesday morning.
The free streams
- NBC News NOW is free on NBCNews.com/Watch, YouTube, Peacock, Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel and the NBC News app.
- Kornacki Cam, a multi-camera feed of Kornacki at the board, starts at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBCNews.com, the NBC News app, YouTube and social platforms.
- Peacock multiview starts at 5:30 p.m. ET and puts NBC News NOW, Kornacki Cam and a live results board on one screen. That part needs a Peacock plan.
For more on NBC’s sister networks, see our MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) live stream guide and our CNBC live stream guide.
Fox News: “FOX News Democracy 26”
Fox News Media’s coverage, branded “FOX News Democracy 26,” begins at 6 p.m. ET. Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum co-anchor, with Dana Perino, Brit Hume, Harold Ford Jr., Bill Hemmer and Sandra Smith among the regular faces. Trace Gallagher carries coverage until 4 a.m. ET, when an early edition of FOX & Friends First starts.
Cable viewers can watch midterm election results live on this channel through their TV provider’s app as well.
Fox Business simulcasts the Fox News coverage from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday. On the digital side, the FOX News app adds a “Midterms 2026” tab with a county-level map and an AI election chatbot that answers questions about races. FOX Nation and FOX News Digital also stream a separate show, Ruthless Live!, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET.
To watch the channel itself, you need a TV provider login, a live TV streaming service that carries Fox News, or FOX One. Our Fox News live stream guide compares those options.
CBS News: a streaming show built for data fans
CBS News is adding a streaming-first program called “The Nerd Show,” starting at 5 p.m. ET, a few hours before the main CBS broadcast. Anthony Salvanto, CBS News’ elections and surveys director, hosts with congressional correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns. Axios reports that it will use precinct-level results and maps from VoteHub.
Streaming specials are useful if you want to watch midterm election results live on a phone or laptop.
The show streams on CBS News 24/7, which is free, plus YouTube and X. CBS anchors will also drop into the stream to go deeper on key races. Our CBS News live guide lists every place CBS News 24/7 is available.
CNN and the other networks
CNN will run election coverage across the evening and overnight. With a cable or streaming TV login, you can watch the live channel on CNN.com and the CNN app. Without one, CNN’s All Access subscription costs $6.99 a month in the US as of October 2026. Keep in mind that All Access is not a full simulcast of the TV channel. The details are in our CNN live stream guide.
Each network presents the numbers differently, so it is worth sampling more than one as you watch midterm election results live.
ABC News had not published its full election night schedule when we checked on October 24. ABC News Live, its streaming channel, is normally free on YouTube and several free streaming apps, and it is also on Hulu and Disney+ for subscribers. Our ABC News live guide covers those.
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.
How to watch midterm election results live without cable
You have three practical routes. Pick based on how much of the night you want to see.
- Free and simple. Open YouTube on your TV and search for NBC News NOW or CBS News. Both run live results coverage at no cost.
- Free with an antenna. NBC, CBS and ABC broadcast stations air network coverage over the air. A basic indoor antenna picks them up in most cities.
- Paid, for cable channels. Fox News, CNN, MS NOW and Fox Business need a TV provider login or a live TV service. YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV and DirecTV Stream carry various mixes, so check the line-up before you sign up.
Want to see every option side by side? Our guide to watching news without cable breaks down prices and devices. For more guides like this, browse the Streaming News section.
A tip for a long night
Don’t rely on one feed. Run a free stream on the TV and keep a network’s results map open on your phone. Race calls often arrive on the apps first.
See also: our C-SPAN streaming guide.
See also: Talarico vs. Paxton: the Texas Senate contest explained.
See also: the independent results stream from Chuck Todd, Chris Cillizza and DDHQ.
Frequently asked questions
What time do the first polls close on November 3, 2026?
The first polls close at 6 p.m. ET in parts of Indiana and Kentucky. Most East Coast states close at 7 or 8 p.m. ET, and the last polls in Alaska close at 1 a.m. ET.
Can I watch midterm election results for free?
Yes. NBC News NOW and CBS News 24/7 are free on YouTube and several free streaming apps. Local NBC, CBS and ABC stations are also free with an antenna.
Do I need cable to watch Fox News or CNN on election night?
For the full live channels, you need a TV provider login or a live TV streaming service. CNN also sells All Access, and Fox News streams on FOX One.
