Tarrant County polls close 7 p.m. As Texas House races hinge on national margin

Polls across Tarrant County opened at 7 a.m. On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and remain open until 7 p.m. Local time. Residents in Fort Worth, Arlington, Irving, Grand Prairie, Mansfield, and Flower Mound are casting ballots in the midterm election, which determines control of Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term. The Associated Press describes the day as a referendum on the president's performance, with voters expressing frustration over high prices and an unpopular war with Iran. More than 57 million people had already voted by Monday, surpassing early vote totals from four years ago in many closely watched states.

Texas voters face a full slate of federal and state races. Every U.S. House seat in the state is on the ballot, along with the governorship and the U.S. Senate seat. Ballotpedia notes that the state is divided between the Central and Mountain time zones, but all polling places operate on the same 7 a.m. To 7 p.m. Schedule. Find your specific polling location at vote.gov or your state election office. Anyone in line when polls close is entitled to vote, according to USA.gov. ID rules vary by state, so voters are encouraged to check their specific requirements before heading to the polls.

Locally, the race for the U.S. House is particularly significant because Texas uses a new congressional map following mid-decade redistricting. Ballotpedia identifies six states using new maps, including Texas, Ohio, California, Florida, Missouri, and North Carolina. These new districts may not vote as drawn, adding uncertainty to the national picture. In the U.S. House, all 435 seats are up for election. Republicans currently hold 218 seats, Democrats hold 214, and there is one independent, with some vacancies. Democrats need a net gain of three districts to achieve a majority, while Republicans can lose no more than two seats to retain control.

Ballotpedia counts 46 battleground districts nationwide, with 25 held by Democrats and 21 by Republicans. The Associated Press and PBS note that Republicans were bracing for a potential loss in the House, fighting to hold the Senate. One or two seats could tip either chamber. Democrats are described as cautiously optimistic. In the Senate, 35 seats are up, including 33 regular elections and two special elections for the remaining terms of Marco Rubio in Florida and JD Vance in Ohio. Republicans hold 53 seats, Democrats hold 45, plus two independents who caucus with Democrats. Democrats need a net gain of four seats for a majority.

Texas is one of the 13 Senate battlegrounds listed by Ballotpedia. The race is an open seat, as incumbent Republican John Cornyn did not run again. The 2024 presidential margin in Texas was Trump plus 13.6 points. The Associated Press and PBS identify the key matchup as Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, who received Trump's backing over Cornyn in the primary, against Democrat James Talarico. The AP notes that the Trump administration filed a lawsuit related to the certification of the Senate result in Alaska, a move that has drawn attention to election integrity concerns. In the governor's race, incumbent Republican Greg Abbott is running for reelection. The AP calls the Texas governor race competitive, alongside Florida and Iowa.

Nationally, the mood is charged with economic anxiety. AP-NORC polling indicates that 35% of U.S. Adults approve of Trump's job performance, while only 25% approve of his handling of the economy. About seven in 10 respondents say the country is heading in the wrong direction. Most voters blame the president for high prices. Trump held dozens of rallies in the lead-up to the election, ending his schedule Sunday in Salina, Kansas, where he told supporters, "I really want you to pretend I'm on the ballot." His recent schedule included stops in Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. Many Republican candidates have kept their distance from the president amid these events.

The 2026 elections are likely to be the most expensive in history. Republican committees have outraised and outspent Democratic committees, aided by Trump-affiliated groups and Elon Musk. However, at the candidate level, Democrats have outraised their opponents. An AP analysis of AdImpact data shows that 88.1% of Republican general election TV ad spending went to states and districts Trump won in 2024. This includes more than $850 million spent in areas where he won by 10 points or more. This spending strategy reflects the Republican effort to protect their base in the new redistricted maps.

In Tarrant County, voters are also deciding on state and local offices and measures that vary by jurisdiction. The state facts from Ballotpedia confirm that the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and Governor are all on the ballot, with parties including Democratic, Independent, Libertarian, and Republican. The county's diverse population, spanning from Fort Worth to Flower Mound, represents a mix of suburban and urban voting patterns that could influence the statewide outcome. As polls open, the focus is on turnout. RNC Chairman Joe Gruters stated, "Everything depends on turnout. If we turn out our voters, we win, and that's what we've been planning for." DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene countered, "The American people are angry. They want change."

Wall Street is watching the results not just for control of Congress, but for implications on AI spending and debt ceiling negotiations. If Democrats win even one chamber, investigations and possible impeachment proceedings become likely. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries would be the first Black speaker and has outlined a 100-day agenda focused on the cost of living and oversight. A strong Democratic night would also boost potential 2028 candidates like Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, and Pete Buttigieg, potentially complicating Vice President JD Vance's path. Republicans tried to beat the midterm pattern, where a president's party almost always loses seats, through redistricting, but the effectiveness of these new maps remains to be seen as ballots are counted.