# USA Election Watch 2026 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 3, 2026, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377 "2026-11-03T18:32:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 51
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1004 "2026-11-06T14:21:07Z")
That looks legit for this thread. **Moderating:** ---
**Author:** ![Win\_Place\_Show](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/win_place_show/32/13469_2.png) [@Win\_Place\_Show](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Win_Place_Show)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1005 "2026-11-06T14:28:31Z")
Here’s one data point for whatever it’s worth : "About 124 million people voted in the 2026 midterm elections, according to preliminary data from the University of Florida Election Lab. That’s up from the 112 million in 2022 and 118.6 million in 2018. While the overall number of votes cast is up, the voter turnout rate for 2026 still lags behind both the 2022 and 2018 midterms, which saw a 69% and 79% voter turnout rate, respectively. In 2026, the preliminary voter turnout rate was 63%. Voter turnout was calculated using voter registration data from L2 and the U.S. Census Bureau. Voter registration has increased from 153 million in 2018 to 196 million in 2026." > **[From party control to voter turnout: These charts explain the 2026 midterm...](https://www.kcra.com/article/8-charts-explain-2026-midterms/74335794)** > > Democrats swept Tuesday’s midterms, winning control of the House and Senate and flipping five governors’ races. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1006 "2026-11-06T14:38:42Z")
This is a fun one - my town elected a 19 year old Democrat to the state legislature, replacing the 8 term Republican state rep. His previous experience includes being on the Billerica Select board while he was still in high school, as well as high school class president. > **[19-year-old Democrat unseats longtime Republican Massachusetts state lawmaker](https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/19-year-old-daniel-darris-oconnor-elected-billerica-massachusetts/)** > > Less than two years after serving as his high school's class president, Daniel Darris-O'Connor is preparing to take his seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1007 "2026-11-06T14:47:34Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > This is a fun one - my town elected a 19 year old Democrat to the state legislature, replacing the 8 term Republican state rep. His previous experience includes being on the Billerica Select board while he was still in high school, as well as high school class president. Go Billrickuh! Love that he was on the Select Board first, that’s sometimes a springboard for folks in their 30s to springboard to state office, not high school kids. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1008 "2026-11-06T14:53:48Z")
I’ve read he’s related to the founders of O’Connors Hardware, which puts him in Billerica aristocracy. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1009 "2026-11-06T14:56:23Z")
> [@Win\_Place\_Show](#): > > While the overall number of votes cast is up, the voter turnout rate for 2026 still lags behind both the 2022 and 2018 midterms, which saw a 69% and 79% voter turnout rate, respectively. In 2026, the preliminary voter turnout rate was 63%. This jibes with my anecdotal impression at the one city district where I worked this election. Lots of young people voting, and the usual number of well-educated-appearing middle aged folks, but fewer than usual of the less-educated-appearing middle-aged (and older) folks. I don’t mean to judge people by their appearance, but it did seem that a fair number of Trump supporters stayed home in my district. (Also, as we know, more of the young’uns voted Democratic this time, but I couldn’t tell that based on appearances. I was shocked, after the fact, to learn how many youngsters went for Trump two years ago). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1010 "2026-11-06T15:07:05Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > With the latest drop, Colom (D) is up by 1724 votes in MS. The votes keep trickling in. Colom now up by 1936. Alaska doesn’t seem to have been updated in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1011 "2026-11-06T15:10:46Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > The votes keep trickling in. Colom now up by 1936. Let’s go Colom! 🥳 ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1012 "2026-11-06T15:24:36Z")
Anecdote from breakfast at The Home (San Antonio, Texas) this morning: One of my tablemates said her sister always works at the polls. This year she saw (and helped) more first-time voters than she has ever seen before. And most of them were middle-aged or older (for lack of a better word) _working-class_ people-- construction workers, truck drivers, laborers. The poll helper asked some of them, astonished, “You mean this is the first time you’ve _ever_ voted in your life?” This election hit very close to home. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1013 "2026-11-06T15:24:38Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > I don’t mean to judge people by their appearance, but it did seem that a fair number of Trump supporters stayed home > in my district. I’m pretty sure that was a national phenomenon. There were a lot of disgruntled and/or dispirited Trump supporters who weren’t motivated to go out. And they weren’t able to vote for him directly in this election anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1014 "2026-11-06T15:24:40Z")
Schumer will probably lose his leadership position because the party senses it’s the right moment, and Haley Stevens was a terrible decision, but he had a great year - he personally talked Cooper, Brown, Peltola and Colom into running. Colom! ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1015 "2026-11-06T15:33:42Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > One of my tablemates said her sister always works at the polls. This year she saw (and helped) more first-time voters than she has ever seen before. And most of them were middle-aged or older (for lack of a better word) _working-class_ people-- construction workers, truck drivers, laborers. The poll helper asked some of them, astonished, “You mean this is the first time you’ve _ever_ voted in your life?” I’ve said for years that if enough of the people who never show up to vote ever did show up, they could elect whoever they damn well pleased. Apparently this year it pleased them to elect Democrats. (Yes, I know. Not all the people who don’t vote want the same thing. And I suspect that what they actually wanted this year was “throw the bastards out”.) ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1016 "2026-11-06T15:46:36Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > This is a fun one - my town elected a 19 year old Democrat to the state legislature, replacing the 8 term Republican state rep. Maricopa County AZ just elected a 19 year old as Superior Court Clerk: > **[19-year-old wins Maricopa County court clerk position he expected to lose](https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/11/05/democrat-seb-matta-19-wins-maricopa-county-court-clerk-race/92616437007/)** > > Sebastian Matta, a 19-year-old Democrat, is the projected winner as Maricopa County Superior Court clerk. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1017 "2026-11-06T15:53:05Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > And most of them were middle-aged or older (for lack of a better word) _working-class_ people-- construction workers, truck drivers, laborers. Someone they cared for is no longer at that construction site… ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1018 "2026-11-06T16:47:49Z")
In TN-4, Victoria Broderick (D) is leading incumbent Scott DesJarlais (R) by 280 votes. 99% reporting; 2000 expected votes outstanding. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1019 "2026-11-06T18:09:55Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Anecdote from breakfast at The Home (San Antonio, Texas) this morning: > > One of my tablemates said her sister always works at the polls. This year she saw (and helped) more first-time voters than she has ever seen before. And most of them were middle-aged or older (for lack of a better word) _working-class_ people-- construction workers, truck drivers, laborers. The poll helper asked some of them, astonished, “You mean this is the first time you’ve _ever_ voted in your life?” > > This election hit very close to home. I’ve often wondered what kind of nation we’d have if, instead of people having to go to polls and expend actual effort to vote, some Magic Voting Wizard simply sat up high on a mountaintop like Dr. Strange and reliably read every eligible voter’s mind all at once. “Turnout”, as it were, would always be 100%. If the eligible voter were truly 100% tuned out of politics and didn’t know who anyone running was and thus didn’t have an opinion, their mind would return a null value and the wizard would move on. But on the flip side … anyone that DID have an opinion and KNEW who they wanted to win an election but simply was not a consistent voter for this reason or that, their vote would now be counted every time. Interesting thought exercise. Maybe fodder for a separate thread. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1020 "2026-11-06T18:13:29Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > …instead of people having to go to polls and expend actual effort to vote… Universal mail-in voting for all ages is kind of like that. No mind-reading involved, but it certainly takes no effort. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1021 "2026-11-06T18:14:21Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > > [@hajario](#): > > > > With the latest drop, Colom (D) is up by 1724 votes in MS. > > The votes keep trickling in. Colom now up by 1936. Now 2,010. @Gorsnak 's analysis may very well end up being spot on. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1022 "2026-11-06T18:22:39Z")
from reporting last night the colom campaign is really pushing on the ballot curing. they have today and monday to get people to cure their ballots. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1023 "2026-11-06T18:25:51Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Schumer will probably lose his leadership position because the party senses it’s the right moment, and Haley Stevens was a terrible decision, but he had a great year - he personally talked Cooper, Brown, Peltola and Colom into running. Colom! Much credit for finding Colom, but the other three were all well-known popular politicians who had already won Statewide office. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377.md?page=50) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377.md?page=52)