How to Watch 2026 Midterm Election Results Without Cable on Nov. 3
Updated
You don't need cable to follow the 2026 midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3. Every major news network is streaming election night, much of it free, and a basic TV antenna picks up your local stations' coverage at no cost. Here are the best ways to watch, as of October 19, 2026.
What's on the ballot
All 435 U.S. House seats are up for election, along with 35 Senate seats and 36 governor's races. Polls close at different times across the country, so the first results arrive in the early evening Eastern time and Western races often aren't called until late at night or the following days.
Free ways to stream election night
- CBS News: CBS News' main America Decides: Election 2026 coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET, anchored by Tony Dokoupil and Norah O'Donnell. It airs on CBS and streams on CBS News 24/7, YouTube, the CBS News app, the CBS News connected TV app and CBSNews.com, as well as Paramount+. Starting at 5 p.m. ET, CBS's data-heavy Election 2026: The Nerd Show streams on YouTube, X, CBSNews.com and the CBS News apps. CBS News 24/7 runs election coverage from 7 a.m. ET on Election Day through 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
- C-SPAN: more than 20 hours of commercial-free coverage starting at 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 3, with results, analysis and candidate speeches, according to The Desk. C-SPAN2 and C-SPAN3 will simulcast election-night streams from The Young Turks and Patrick Bet-David's PBD Podcast.
- ABC News Live, NBC News NOW and PBS NewsHour: each runs a free election-night stream on YouTube and its own apps.
- Your local stations: many local TV stations stream results free on their own apps for Roku, Fire TV and Apple TV, as Arkansas station 5NEWS announced on October 14, 2026. Local apps are the best place for state and county races.
Watching with a subscription
FOX says a FOX One plan is required to stream its full live midterm coverage on the web, app or connected TVs. CNN's full live coverage generally needs a TV provider or streaming login. If you already pay for a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV, it carries the broadcast networks and the major cable news channels. Our YouTube TV channel list shows what's included in your area.
Watching with an antenna
An indoor or rooftop antenna is the cheapest way to see your local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS stations, including their election-night coverage, with no subscription and no internet needed. If you're near the stations' towers, a $20 to $40 indoor antenna is usually enough. Our guide to watching ABC without cable covers antenna and streaming options that work for the other networks too.
Make sure your internet can keep up
Election night is a long, live event, and lots of households will have several screens going at once. Most streaming apps need about 5 to 10 Mbps for each HD stream. A 100 Mbps plan easily handles a few streams plus phones, while older DSL connections can buffer if more than one person is watching. Our guide on how much speed you need for live TV streaming has more detail, and if cable or phone lines aren't an option where you live, see how to get internet without cable or a phone line.
Want smoother streaming on election night?
We'll compare every internet plan at your address so live TV doesn't buffer.
Frequently asked questions
When is Election Day 2026?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Every U.S. House seat is on the ballot, along with 35 Senate seats and 36 governor's races.
Can I watch election results for free without cable?
Yes. CBS News 24/7, ABC News Live, NBC News NOW and PBS NewsHour all have free election-night streams, and C-SPAN runs commercial-free coverage starting at 4 p.m. ET. Your local stations also stream results on their free apps, and an antenna picks up ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS for free.
What time does CBS election coverage start?
CBS News' main America Decides: Election 2026 coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET on CBS, CBS News 24/7, Paramount+, YouTube and the CBS News app. Its data-focused Nerd Show streams from 5 p.m. ET on YouTube, X, CBSNews.com and the CBS News apps.
Do I need FOX One to watch FOX election coverage?
FOX says a FOX One plan is required to stream its full live midterm coverage online. You can still watch your local FOX station for free with an antenna.
How much internet speed do I need to stream election night?
About 5 to 10 Mbps per HD stream is enough for most streaming apps, so a 100 Mbps plan easily handles several screens at once. Call 1-877-697-2926 to compare plans at your address.
Want to compare internet at your address?
Call us and we'll check every fiber, cable, 5G and satellite plan available where you live.