Election 2026 live updates: Voters head to the polls in a midterm battle for House and Senate control

Democrats are hopeful they can take both chambers from Republicans in an election that is largely a referendum on President Donald Trump’s policies.

Before votes are tallied on election night, exit polls offer an early look at who is voting and what is motivating their choices.

An exit poll is a survey of voters taken as they leave (or exit) their voting locations. Unlike public opinion polls ahead of elections that predict whether respondents will vote, exit polls capture the views of voters in person on Election Day. Exit polls also reflect the views of people who voted early or by mail — we take steps to reach those voters by phone and by mail, as well as online.

Here’s how exit polls work, where they are conducted and how NBC News will be using the results on election night and in the days after.

Election night promises to reveal where the country is headed and how the balance of power in Washington will shift — but key results may not trickle out until into the wee hours of tomorrow morning.

The midterms are largely a referendum on Trump, whose approval rating has languished as voters express frustration over his…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/health