Polls close in Oregon and Washington at 11 p.m.

Polling stations in Oregon and Washington will close at 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, marking the end of voting in the final states of the 2026 midterm election cycle. In these two states, as well as in California, the election is conducted primarily through mail. This method means that a large portion of the vote will not be counted on election night itself.

Specific deadlines govern the counting of these mail ballots. In California, postmarked ballots must be received by Nov. 10. In Washington, the deadline is Nov. 23. Historical data from the 2024 general election provides a benchmark for these timelines. Approximately 38% of the vote in California and 33% in Washington were not counted on election night in 2024.

The counting process in the West Coast states extends well into the following week. In 2024, the vote count in Washington reached 90% completion by Nov. 9, which was four days after Election Day. The count in California reached the same 90% threshold by Nov. 14, nine days after Election Day. This pattern suggests that local voters should expect a delay in final certification compared to states with in-person voting systems.

The 11 p.m. Eastern time slot also includes the closure of the remaining polls in Idaho. Key races to watch during this hour include the governor's race in California, Proposition 40, and U.S. House contests in both California and Washington. The Associated Press is tracking these specific contests as the final hours of the election unfold.

The final polls of the entire 2026 midterm cycle will close at 1 a.m. in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. This location hosts the westernmost polling place in the nation. In 2024, roughly 25% of the total vote in Alaska was not counted on election night. The bulk of the state's mail voting results are typically expected by Nov. 18, which is the deadline for receiving overseas and military ballots.

The volume of mail and early in-person voting in Alaska has increased in recent cycles. These methods comprised about 35% of the total vote in 2022 and rose to about 45% in 2024. The Senate and House races in Alaska are among the key contests to monitor as the final votes are tallied.

All times referenced in this report are in Eastern Standard Time. The sequence of poll closures begins in the East and moves westward, concluding with the Pacific states and then Alaska. Voters in Oregon and Washington should note that while polls close at 11 p.m. Eastern, the final results may not be known for several days.