Midterm elections 2026: all the news

<figure> <img alt="Repeated pattern of voting booths." data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/10/STK423_ELECTIONS2.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The 2026 midterm elections will determine the scope of President Donald Trump&#8217;s power in his final two years in office, and signal what voters care about going into the 2028 presidential election. While this year&#8217;s races are expected to be most broadly defined by affordability issues, there&#8217;s several topics impacting the tech industry that appear to be on voters&#8217; minds. </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Among them are concerns about data centers, and whether voters will have to bear the burden of higher energy costs, AI safety, and the rapid expansion of surveillance technology through Flock. There&#8217;s also the question of how to tax billionaires&#8217; wealth in California, a topic that has driven heavy tech spending and creative stock class structures meant to keep tech executives from fleeing the state should a ballot measure pass.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The next Congress is likely to continue grappling with how to regulate AI, and stem the data center backlash, among other issues. How that conversation shapes up, and which tech CEOs are hauled to testify on Capitol Hill, will be shaped by the outcome of November 3rd.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/1023877/prop-45-california-data-centers-energy">Prop 45 in California could be hiding a loophole for data centers</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1020748/another-election-year-another-tech-company-war-room">Another election year, another tech company war room.</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1018676/data-center-midterm-election-energy-water-texas">Voters in Texas agree: They hate data centers</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/1019152/data-centers-midterm-elections">Data center backlash is uniting America</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/report/1017003/indian-americans-republican-racism-vivek-ramaswamy-texas">Republican politicians have embraced anti-Indian racism — and it’s costing them votes</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1016019/meta-made-a-deal-to-keep-mark-zuckerberg-from-leaving-california-over-its-billionaire-tax">Meta made a deal to keep Mark Zuckerberg from leaving California over its billionaire tax.</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/1014989/trump-fraud-tips-program-nick-shirley-influencers">Trump is giving Nick Shirley $10,000 and launching a $25 million fraud bounty program</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/1013113/democrats-ai-midterms">Democrats think cracking down on AI could give them an edge</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/1013126/tech-billionaires-have-reportedly-donated-over-340-million-to-fight-a-wealth-tax-in-california">Tech billionaires have reportedly donated over $340 million to fight a wealth tax in California.</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1009604/elon-musk-2026-midterm-republican-donations">Elon Musk has donated over $276 million to Republican midterm efforts</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/952167/voter-rolls-privacy-election-save-program">The midterms are going to be a data security nightmare</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/934112/live-nation-ticketmaster-democrats-doj-settlement">Democrats preview how they’d go after the Ticketmaster settlement if they regain power</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/916210/ai-midterm-elections-data-centers-jobs">AI backlash is coming for elections</a> </li> </ul>