Election 2026

The Midterm Election polls opened this morning across the city, state and nation

WNIN | By Tim Jagielo

Published November 3, 2026 at 2:44 PM CST

Some of the first residents to cast ballots line up at the Washington Square Mall Vote Center in Evansville, just after polls opened Tuesday Nov. 3. Here, Tom Mix talks to an election observer. The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 22 Vote Centers across Vanderburgh County.

More than 26,000 Vanderburgh County residents voted early in person or via absentee ballot; 48,000 total voted in the 2022 midterms

Vanderburgh County Chief Deputy Clerk Darby Trible gathers mailed ballots after being sorted by election workers Tuesday Nov. 3. For this election, 2,617 mail-in ballots were received by the Elections Division.

It’s about six a.m. and the polls have just opened at Washington Square Mall on Evansville’s east side.

Voters in line are greeted by a few candidates for the schoolboard and statehouse, and a volunteer election observer with the Common Cause Election Protection Program.

“I'm here to be here if somebody has a problem not being able to vote,” she said, choosing not to give her name.

The Midterm Election has historically only drew a small percentage of voters, in a state with generally low voter turnout. The last midterm was in 2022 and drew 37-percent of registered voters — 48,000 ballots.

Vanderburgh County Clerk Dottie Thomas said she’d like to see a 60-percent turnout. By 10:30 a.m., 34,000 had voted for this election overall.

This includes 8,100 ballots cast so far on election Day, 23,000 from early in-person voting and 2,600 form mail-in ballots.

Thomas said issues that are bringing voters to polls include the US Congressional seat held by Republican Mark Messmer, and his challenger, Democrat Mary Allen.

Tom Mix of Evansville is waiting in line at the Washington Square Mall vote center, who was around more than 50 others in line when the polls opened. He’s hoping for a blue wave today.

“Republicans have killed us … the Trumpicans have killed us,” he said. “Trying to resurrect ourselves and fight back.”

Kris Schwambach was voting with her husband Dave.

“We're here to vote for truth,” she said. “For you know, men are men, women are women. Illegal is illegal.” They hope a lot of people vote, and vote their convictions.

Thomas said historically, unofficial results have should be available this evening. Polls close at 6:00 P.M.

While voting is underway in Evansville and beyond, Vanderburgh County Election division workers are sorting mail-in ballots on long tables in the hallway outside the Elections office.

There are 2,617 of these ballots to sort, to be tabulated once polls close.

WNIN will update numbers and share results as information is available.

An elections worker assists a voter at the Washington Square Mall Vote Center, Nov. 3, 2026.

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