US Midterm Elections 2026 Live Updates: Judge blocks Trump administration from pressuring states over noncitizen voting
US judge temporarily barred the Trump administration from moving ahead with a plan it says would prevent noncitizen voting, but that critics say risks disenfranchising eligible voters and infringing on states' authority over elections.
by Mashkoora Khan, Majid Alam · The Indian Express · JoinAmericans vote today, November 3, in midterm elections that will decide how much power President Donald Trump has for the rest of his term. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up, along with 35 of the 100 Senate seats. Voters in 36 states will also pick governors. About 210 million people are registered to vote.
Trump’s Republican Party now controls both the House and the Senate. The Democrats need to flip enough seats to win a majority in at least one chamber, which would limit what Trump can pass in the second half of his presidency. Democrats enter the vote with high hopes, though it raises the question of whether the polls can be trusted.
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On the last day of campaigning, Trump gave a speech on national television and said the country was “booming”. His administration also took the case to court over mail-in ballots in California. A federal judge first ordered the administration to stop demanding that officials set aside up to 20,000 disputed ballots. The Supreme Court then turned down Trump’s request on the same issue.
The Michigan Senate race, which is close, was shaken when Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens backed her party’s rival. She endorsed Republican Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who beat her in the primary.
What Trump said: Speaking in Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday, Trump went after El-Sayed several times. He joked that Congress would need a “special metal detector” for the candidate. Trump has often attacked El-Sayed over his Muslim faith and calls him a “jihadist”. He also praised Stevens for backing Rogers, and he suggested she had won the primary, when she had in fact lost it.
Key updates
- Supreme Court rejects Trump on California ballots: The court turned down his push to have thousands of disputed mail-in ballots set aside, after a federal judge ordered the administration to stop the demand.
- Michigan Senate race shaken: Haley Stevens, a Democrat, endorsed Republican Mike Rogers over her party’s nominee, Abdul El-Sayed .
- Early voting record in Georgia: A third of all registered voters in the state have already voted.
- Iran talks: Vice President JD Vance said the US has no strict deadline for Iran to agree a deal to avoid a return of strikes, and that there have been “good conversations” with Tehran.
- Republican mood: House Speaker Mike Johnson said in Virginia that polls are not showing the level of Republican enthusiasm. Trump also hopes voters notice falling oil prices .
Follow the latest updates on the 2026 US Midterm Elections Results here. This live blog tracks the key developments as the final days of campaigning and voting day unfold. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed through the day to reflect the most important news from the vote.
Live Updates
Nov 3, 2026 12:37 PM IST
Democrats likely to bag Texas and Michigan Senate in Senate race
As the election concludes, top projectors have predicted victory for the Democratic Party in Texas and Michigan Senate election, according to CNN.
Nov 3, 2026 12:28 PM IST
Iran-US deal still out of reach: Senior Iranian official
Iran and the United States are far from reaching a deal to end the war in West Asia, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday. He added that Iran would not accept Washington's "excessive demands". The remarks come at a time of heightened diplomatic efforts, with Qatar acting as a key intermediary, to prevent a potential return to active conflict after the midterms.
Nov 3, 2026 12:06 PM IST
US midterms 2026: 5 key things to watch as American voters decide control of Congress
The showdown has arrived, and Americans will head to the polls for the 2026 midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress for the remaining two years of President Donald Trump’s term. The outcome of the polls will serve as the first nationwide litmus test on Trump’s presidency, highlighting whether American voters would want to check the powers of the Republican president by handing the controlling powers of Congress to Democrats or are willing to accept the GOP’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) narrative amid reports of frustrations over the cost of living and the US-Israel war with Iran.
The midterm election results could also redefine the debates within the Republicans and Democrats for the 2028 presidential race over which messages and policies resonate more with the voters. Democrats require a net gain of four seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives to wrest control of Congress from the Trump-led GOP. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority as of now. Read more
Nov 3, 2026 11:36 AM IST
Former RNC chair praises Stevens
In a post on X, Ronna McDaniel, former chair of the Republican National Committee, praised Michigan Democratic Representative Haley Stevens for her latest statement explaining why she endorsed Republican Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the state’s US Senate race.
Nov 3, 2026 10:47 AM IST
Judge blocks Trump administration from pressuring states over noncitizen voting
A US judge on Monday temporarily barred the Trump administration from moving ahead with a plan it says would prevent noncitizen voting, but that critics say risks disenfranchising eligible voters and infringing on states' authority over elections.
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan barred the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security from sending states lists of registered voters the administration says may not be citizens, and from asking state election officials to separate out those voters' ballots or not count them until citizenship is proven.
The ruling marks the latest in a series of legal setbacks for President Donald Trump's efforts to assert federal control over election administration ahead of the November 3 midterms. Trump's fellow Republicans are battling to retain majorities in both houses of Congress.
Nov 3, 2026 10:28 AM IST
Tensions rise as midterm campaign ends with control of Congress at stake
Congressional candidates and President Donald Trump made their final arguments to US voters on Monday, the eve of the midterm elections, with tensions running high in Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed aims to become the first Muslim elected to the Senate.
California was also in the spotlight after the Supreme Court swiftly quashed an attempt by Trump's Justice Department to intervene and block vote counting from alleged non-US citizens.
With control of the US Congress at stake for his final two years in office, Trump devoted his last major speech before voting day to touting renovations of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, one of the Washington public works projects he has made a priority since returning to the White House.
Nov 3, 2026 09:56 AM IST
US might go after 'Pickaxe' mountain in Iran, Trump says
That is the end of our coverage on the eve of the US midterm elections. More than 50 million Americans have already voted early, and millions more will go to the polls when they open on Tuesday. The US Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s last-minute effort to set aside thousands of ballots in California, which the administration said were sent to non-citizens. Candidates from both parties made their final pitches at rallies in competitive states, including Texas, Michigan and Iowa.
Iran: The US military carried out limited defensive strikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz, three US officials told CBS News. Trump said the US could target “Pickaxe” mountain in Iran.
Trump’s final speech: He gave his last campaign speech at the Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC. He said “we gave this a strong shot”.
Nov 3, 2026 08:33 AM IST
Interactive | US midterm elections 2026: Voting time in India, key races and when results will be announced
US midterm elections 2026: The 2026 US midterm elections will be held on Tuesday, November 3, with polls opening and closing at different times across the United States. In India, the first polling stations will close at 5:30 am IST on Wednesday, November 4, with results expected to begin coming in as votes are counted.
Americans will vote for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships, deciding whether Republicans retain control of Congress or Democrats win back one or both chambers during the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.
Nov 3, 2026 07:43 AM IST
Candidates in heated Michigan US Senate race hold final rallies
Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed are making their final pitches to supporters tonight in Michigan, ahead of Tuesday’s midterms.
The race for the US Senate has garnered nationwide attention, after Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens endorsed the Rogers campaign and over allegations of Islamophobia against El-Sayed by the Republicans.
Nov 3, 2026 07:06 AM IST
Polling stations open in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands
In Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, both US territories, it is election day and polls are open.
Both territories are on Chamorro Standard Time, a time zone that is currently 15 hours ahead of US Eastern Time.
The US has a major military presence in Guam, with about 24,000 military personnel and their family members on the island, according to Military OneSource, a Pentagon website.
Nov 3, 2026 06:47 AM IST
US midterm elections 2026: Voting time in India, key races and when results will be announced
US midterm elections 2026: The 2026 US midterm elections will be held on Tuesday, November 3, with polls opening and closing at different times across the United States. In India, the first polling stations will close at 5:30 am IST on Wednesday, November 4, with results expected to begin coming in as votes are counted. Read more
Nov 3, 2026 06:00 AM IST
Tensions rise as midterm campaign ends with control of Congress at stake
Congressional candidates made their final arguments to US voters on Monday, the eve of the midterm elections, with tensions running high in Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed aims to become the first Muslim elected to the Senate, and in California, where the Supreme Court quashed an attempt by President Donald Trump's Justice Department to intervene.
With control of the US Congress at stake for his final two years in office, Trump devoted his last major speech before voting day to touting renovations of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, one of the Washington public works projects he has made a priority since returning to the White House.
Nov 3, 2026 05:58 AM IST
A one-sentence rejection
The US Supreme Court has not said why it turned down the Trump administration’s request to set aside thousands of California ballots.
The court announced its decision in an order of one sentence. It said the request for an injunction, which had been sent to Justice Elena Kagan and passed by her to the full court, was denied.
The US Justice Department filed the request only hours before the ruling, on the eve of the midterm elections. It was a last attempt to separate the disputed ballots.
Nov 3, 2026 05:20 AM IST
'It could happen!': Trump floats possible Iran deal on midterms eve
Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have both spoken in the past few hours about the US-Iran war, which began in February and has pushed oil prices up sharply. Both said a deal may be near. Fuel costs and the wider cost of living are among the main worries for voters ahead of the midterm elections.
Key points:
In a post on Truth Social, he said oil prices were “DROPPING LIKE A ROCK”. He added that Iran wants a settlement “as soon as possible” and that “it could happen”.
Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, he said he and the president both feel “pretty good” about the chance of a negotiated settlement.
Nov 3, 2026 05:11 AM IST
Ossoff slams Trump over Iran war in final midterms push
Jon Ossoff, who is running for re-election as a Democratic US senator from Georgia, has slammed the US war on Iran during a campaign speech in Decatur, Georgia.
“They have lied us into yet another war in the Middle East”, Ossoff said, adding that there were “26 hours remaining for us to change the course of American history”, referring to the 7 pm (00:00 GMT) deadline for the end of polling in Tuesday’s midterms in the state.
Nov 3, 2026 05:10 AM IST
Trump attacks El-Sayed during stump speech in Iowa
Speaking in Dubuque, Iowa, Trump repeatedly discussed Michigan's Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. He told the crowd that Congress would need to install a "special metal detector" for him.
Trump has repeatedly attacked El-Sayed for his Muslim faith and consistently refers to him as a "jihadist."
“We’ll have to put him through metal detectors to sit. He’ll be -- we’ll have 100 senators, and most of them can go direct. We’re going to have to get a special metal detector for Abdul,” Trump said.
Nov 3, 2026 05:09 AM IST
What you need to know about Trump's request to sideline California ballots
The US Supreme Court has turned down Trump’s request to separate California ballots, a day before the US midterm elections. It acted fast, rejecting the Trump administration’s plea only hours after it was filed. The administration went to the top court after losing in lower courts, which is an unusual step on the eve of an election.
Here’s the background:
Last month, the US Justice Department said about 20,000 “likely” noncitizens were on California’s voter rolls. It asked a federal judge to stop those votes from being counted unless their citizenship was checked.
California officials rejected that figure and said the administration had no power to demand that the votes be left out. Lower courts, including an appeals court on two occasions, ruled against the administration.
By declining to hear the case, the Supreme Court leaves the lower court rulings in place. This in effect ends the administration’s emergency bid to disqualify the ballots.
Nov 3, 2026 05:02 AM IST
Supreme Court rejects Trump administration push to set aside thousands of California ballots
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a push for California to set aside thousands of mail ballots from people President Donald Trump's administration claims are noncitizens, a decision that comes on the eve of the pivotal midterm elections.
The high court refused to intervene in a case involving 20,000 people the Republican administration flagged as likely noncitizens on the largely Democratic state's voter rolls.
It was the latest in a flurry of election-related litigation the day before the midterm elections, which will decide control of Congress for the last two years of Trump's second term.
In California, the Trump administration had asked the high court to set aside the challenged ballots until the voters' citizenship status could be verified. But officials there said that the list appeared to be filled with errors and that setting the ballots aside could effectively disenfranchise legal voters.
Nov 3, 2026 05:01 AM IST
Trump continues to sow election doubts as he makes closing arguments to voters
President Donald Trump delivered a grievance-filled stump speech in Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday, just two days out from the critical midterm elections that will decide the future of his administration's agenda.
Throughout his two-hour-long speech, Trump sought to sow doubt in Tuesday’s elections, calling various states “crooked” and “corrupt” and claiming that Democrats “have to cheat” to win.
“I hope our candidate does well, but they’re totally crooked,” Trump said as he discussed Minnesota. “Minnesota is so corrupt. Maine is very corrupt. California. Forget about it,” he said.
Nov 3, 2026 04:58 AM IST
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