How To Watch the 2026 Midterm Elections
2026 midterm election channels
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and with all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, and 36 governors’ races on the ballot and Trump administration approval ratings at a nadir, it’ll be a hotly contested election.
The good news is that U.S. election coverage airs on a wide variety of networks and free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels.
Local ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and PBS coverage is free over the air where reception is available. You can also stream national election coverage for free through NBC News NOW, ABC News Live, CBS News 24/7, and LiveNOW from FOX.
For CNN, Fox News, and MS NOW, you’ll need a live TV service or your favorite network’s new standalone app.
The cable news channels and the Big Four national news channels will most likely have rolling midterm election coverage through the day and into the night, while your local affiliate channels will feature special coverage of the midterm election periodically throughout the evening.
Scroll on to see how to watch the 2026 midterm election with or without cable and get the right TV setup thanks to our expert recommendations.
How to watch the 2026 midterm elections on cable news
How to watch cable news networks has evolved significantly over the past six years, so you’ll wanna weigh your options before signing up (yes, the paywalls still exist and are even more effective than ever) for a TV or streaming plan.
Cable TV and live TV streaming services
Pretty much every live TV provider carries CNN, Fox News, and MS NOW. The only major TV services that do not carry all three are Frndly TV, Fubo, and Philo. (Fubo carries Fox News, though.)
We highly recommend YouTube TV for cord-cutters, Sling TV for bargain hunters, and Spectrum TV for cable diehards. For more recommendations, check out our annual Best of the Best Awards for TV Providers.
Standalone cable news apps
Sans a cable TV or live TV streaming plan, CNN All Access lets you stream live CNN coverage through CNN.com and the CNN app. HBO Max no longer carries CNN’s live news feed.
Likewise, streaming FOX’s full midterm election coverage without a live TV plan requires FOX One, which offers a free trial. TV subscribers with Fox Business and Fox News in their lineup can also sign in to FOX One for free.
In terms of MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), you can stream the midterm elections with a standalone MS NOW Membership. Just remember that Steve Kornacki is now part of NBC News’ election coverage team.
How to watch the 2026 midterms without cable
It’s 2026, so you have a ton of options to watch the midterm elections without a big, bad cable plan.
Over-the-air TV
A digital HD antenna usually costs under $50 and pulls in local affiliate channels for free. We highly recommend the Mohu Leaf 50 for its range, affordability, and compact design.
Already have a digital antenna? Check your local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and PBS channel numbers to make sure you don’t miss any of the midterm results. You can verify available stations using Antennas Direct’s Transmitter Locator.
Don’t have time to set up a digital antenna? You can stream some of your local affiliate channels, but it’ll cost you.
Local affiliate streaming options
- ABC: N/A
- CBS: Stream with Paramount+ Premium
- FOX: Stream with FOX One
- NBC: Stream with Peacock Premium Plus
- PBS: Stream free at PBS.org
We recommend your local stream at PBS.org because it’s free and non-partisan. Oh, and remember that local affiliates are the only TV source for state, county, and ballot measure results.
Other free news streams
Beyond the free Big Four national streams mentioned in the intro, FAST services can help fill your midterm election gaps, too.
- Tubi streams LiveNOW from FOX.
- Pluto TV carries CNN Headlines, a curated news channel rather than CNN’s live cable feed.
- The Roku Channel streams some local news channels.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You can see more options in our guide to watching live TV news for free.
Featured in this article
YouTube TV won our Best of the Best Award for live TV streaming services for the fifth year in a row. We love its channel lineup, multiview feature, and middle-of-the-road price point.
We don’t particularly love Sling TV, but it’s cheap as hell compared to other TV providers. Just be careful when picking a plan because they’re confusing and might not carry your favorite cable news channel.
How to watch the 2026 midterm elections FAQ
How can I watch the midterm election results for free?
Use an HD antenna for local network coverage, and then add free national news streams like NBC News NOW, ABC News Live, CBS News 24/7, and FOX LiveNow on Tubi.
Can I watch CNN election coverage without cable?
Yes. CNN All Access includes a 24/7 live feed of CNN, as do YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and DIRECTV (streaming plans).
Do I need FOX One to watch Fox News election coverage?
No. You can also watch Fox News through a TV package that carries the channel. Eligible subscribers can sign in to FOX One with their TV provider credentials at no extra cost.
Where can I watch local election results?
Local news stations typically cover state, county, and ballot measure races. You can watch through an antenna, participating station apps, or services like NewsON and Haystack News.
More coverage from CableTV.com
You’ve decided to make the leap from traditional cable or satellite TV to a livestreaming service—now what? The set-top box choice is all yours when it comes to streaming, and picking a streaming device can be as tricky as narrowing down the right television.
Congratulations, cord-cutter! Our guide to the best OTA antennas recommends models from Mohu, Gesobyte, PBD, and FiveStar. And they’ll all have you back to watching your local channels (and subchannels) in no time—and with no monthly payment.
We’re all about the bang for your buck here at CableTV.com, but how about bang for no bucks? Expensive premium streaming services are cool and all, but discovering free and cheap entertainment is a small victory that’s (mostly) priceless. We’ve rounded up some of those small victories for your streaming enjoyment.
