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Voters head to the polls in the 2026 midterm elections on Tuesday

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 4 outlets, mostly left-leaning (75%).

4 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Voters queue behind barriers outside a building beside a 'VOTE TODAY!' sign on the lawn.
Image via CBS NewsHow images are chosenReport this image

Voters head to the polls across the United States on Tuesday, November 3, in the 2026 midterm elections, with control of Congress and governor’s offices at stake, outlets report. The Guardian reports that 35 Senate seats, 36 governor’s races and all 435 House seats are up, and that Democrats are seeking to reclaim both chambers of Congress. Poll closing times vary by state and time zone, and some states set different deadlines. The Washington Examiner notes that North Dakota’s hours are set by county commissions and can close anywhere from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time. CBS News says voters who are in line when polls close have the right to remain in line and vote.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. Editors read every story. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Voters head to the polls on Tuesday, November 3, in the 2026 midterm elections.

    Reported byLeft3Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    TheGrio, The Guardian, CBS News
    Right
    Washington Examiner

  2. Control of Congress and governor’s offices are at stake in the elections.

    Reported byLeft1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    TheGrio
    Right
    Washington Examiner

  3. Poll closing times vary by state and time zone, and some states set different deadlines.

    Reported byLeft1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Guardian
    Right
    Washington Examiner

  4. North Dakota poll hours are set by county commissions and can close between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. local time.

    One outletWashington Examiner· Right

  5. 35 Senate seats, 36 governor’s races and all 435 House seats are up for election.

    One outletThe Guardian· Left

  6. Voters who are in line when polls close have the right to remain in line and vote.

    One outletCBS News· Left

How each side tells it

Compare views

Every side reports that voters go to the polls Tuesday in the 2026 midterms and that poll closing times vary by state. The left-side coverage adds seat counts and Democrats’ goal of retaking both chambers, while the right-side coverage centers on a state-by-state guide to closing times.

  • the left

    3 outlets

    Left-side headlines are service pieces framed as questions or guides about when polls open and close, with no judgement about the election.

    Here's when polls open and close for 2026 midterm elections today
    CBS NewsLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    No coverage yet

    No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the right

    1 outlet

    The right-side headline is a service question asking when polls close in the reader’s own state, with no judgement about the election.

    When do polls close in your state?
    Washington ExaminerRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

Mantle found no loaded language in this coverage. Every headline and opening was checked against Mantle’s published word list, and Mantle’s AI read all 4 articles in context. Straight reporting often has none.

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

3 outlets

Leads with

  • poll opening and closing times
  • the 2026 seats and races at stake
  • the right to vote while in line
See the 3 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • TheGrioLeft

    Election Day 2026: Here’s when polls open and close across the country

    Millions of Americans are heading to the polls Tuesday, with control of Congress and dozens of governor’s offices at stake.

    Read at TheGrio (opens in a new tab)
  • The GuardianLeft

    Midterm elections 2026: what time do the polls close today?

    Here’s an hour-by-hour rundown of when polls close around the US, and some of the key races taking place In the 2026 US midterm cycle, there are 35 Senate seats up for election, 36 governors’ races and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives up for grabs. …

    Read at The Guardian (opens in a new tab)
  • CBS NewsLeft

    Here's when polls open and close for 2026 midterm elections today

    If you are in line to cast your ballot before a polling site closes, you have the right to remain in line and vote.

    Read at CBS News (opens in a new tab)

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

1 outlet

Leads with

  • state-by-state closing times
  • differences across time zones
  • local and state races on the ballot
See the headline from the rightHide the headlines

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    CBS News, Nov 3, 4:30 AM EST

  • Center

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Right

    10 hr 47 min later

    Its first report, Nov 3, 3:17 PM EST

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. CBS NewsLeftNov 3, 4:30 AM EST
  2. The GuardianLeftNov 3, 5:00 AM EST
  3. TheGrioLeftNov 3, 1:24 PM EST
  4. Washington ExaminerRightNov 3, 3:17 PM EST

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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