Last updated: October 31, 2026 (ET). Updated as verified information becomes available.
National polls offer a snapshot of how voters say they will vote in the 2026 midterm elections. They are not predictions. LiveNewsWorld lists each poll with its sponsor, field dates, population, sample size and margin of error, and links to the original release. We do not produce our own forecasts or averages.
Recent national generic congressional ballot polls
| Pollster | Field dates | Result | Sample and margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reuters/Ipsos (released Oct. 26, 2026) | Oct. 22 to 26, 2026 | Likely voters: Democrats 53%, Republicans 44% (including leaners) | 1,679 adults overall, +/-2.4 points for all adults. Ipsos did not publish a separate sample size or margin of error for likely voters. |
| New York Times/Siena | Oct. 12 to 19, 2026 | Registered voters: Democrats 51%, Republicans 39% | 3,494 registered voters, +/-1.9 points (+/-2.2 including design effect) |
The generic ballot asks which party’s candidate respondents would support for Congress. It does not measure individual races.
Polling averages
Several organizations publish averages of the generic ballot, including RealClearPolling, Decision Desk HQ and Silver Bulletin. Their methods differ, so their numbers differ. Check each source for its current figure and date.
How to read a poll
- Margin of error applies to each party’s share. A lead smaller than about twice the margin of error is within the range of normal sampling variation.
- Likely vs registered voters: likely-voter polls try to screen for people expected to vote; results can differ from registered-voter polls.
- National vs district: House control is decided in 435 separate districts, so a national lead does not translate directly into seats.
