America decides! How to watch all of the midterm election coverage
America decides! How to watch all of the midterm election coverage
Learn how to watch 2026 midterm election coverage on your most trusted news channel here.
Tuesday is Election Day in the United States, and voters nationwide will head to the polls to choose their favorite candidates for state and local offices and make their voices heard on ballot issues that could significantly affect their community. Audiences will be able to track returns on cable and broadcast news channels like ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox News, MS NOW, and Newsmax, which are widely available on live TV streaming services. While there are many ways to watch midterm election coverage, we recommend a subscription to DIRECTV.
How to watch 2026 midterm election coverage
- When: Starting between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET (see below)
- TV: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, CNN, Fox News, MS NOW, and Newsmax
- Stream: Watch with a five-day free trial of DIRECTV.
- From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.
Everything you need to know about 2026 midterm election coverage?
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When does 2026 midterm election coverage start on major networks?
ABC’s live coverage of midterm election results will stream on both Disney+ and Hulu. Fox is not expected to offer continuous election coverage on Tuesday night, but will likely offer break-in coverage of major races from Fox News as the night goes forward.
| Channel | Coverage start time (ET) | Direct-to-consumer option? |
|---|---|---|
| ABC | 7 p.m. | Disney+. Hulu |
| CBS | 7 p.m. | Paramount+ Premium |
| CNN | 4 p.m. | CNN All Access |
| C-SPAN | 4 p.m. | No |
| Fox | No coverage | No coverage |
| Fox News | 6 p.m. | Fox One |
| MS NOW | 6 p.m. | MS NOW Membership |
| NBC | 5 p.m. | Peacock Premium Plus |
| Newsmax | 6 p.m. | Newsmax+ |
How does the AP call midterm election results?
Why watch 2026 midterm election coverage with DIRECTV?
DIRECTV is our top choice to watch the 2026 midterm election returns come in for several reasons. First is the choice DIRECTV offers customers; DIRECTV includes all the channels listed above in each of its Signature channel packages, as well as its MyNews Genre Pack. Signature plans from DIRECTV start at $90 per month for 90+ news, sports, and entertainment channels.
The MyNews Genre Pack is more tightly focused on news programming, but it still includes local broadcast channels and cable news networks in its lineup of 10+ channels. It’s normally $45 per month, offering a more budget-friendly way to stream election results.
All DIRECTV Signature plans are currently $30 off their regular monthly price for a new subscriber’s first month, and the MyNews Genre Pack is offering $5 off one month of service. Choose your preferred way to watch 2026 midterm election coverage with DIRECTV, and pay only for the channels you want. And don’t forget, new customers get a five-day free trial when signing up for DIRECTV for the first time.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.
Can you watch 2026 midterm election coverage for free?
There are other streamers you can use to watch the 2026 midterm elections using a free trial. Fubo’s free trial can last between one and seven days, depending on when a new customer signs up and other factors. YouTube TV is currently advertising a 21-day free trial, but this can also vary. Hulu + Live TV provides a three-day free trial for new customers as well.
If you want to focus your efforts on just one channel, you can check out direct-to-consumer services like Fox One, which has Fox News programming and a seven-day free trial.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| ABC | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| CBS | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| CNN | + $22 | - | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $18 | |
| C-SPAN | + $39 | - | + $61 | - | - | - | - | + $18 | |
| Fox | + $19 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fox News | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | + $18 | |
| NBC | + $19 | + $11 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Newsmax | + $39 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | + $6 | + $6 | + $18 | |
All the services you can use to watch the 2026 midterm election results
Viewers can check out 2026 midterm election coverage on DIRECTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV if they want to watch on linear channels. Sling offers ABC, CNN, Fox, Fox News, MS NOW, and NBC in its Blue package, starting at $46 per month.
Disney+ and Hulu will stream ABC’s coverage of election night on Tuesday. Each service starts at $12.49 per month on its own, but bundling the two together costs only $0.50 more. Paramount+ Premium offers a live stream of local CBS stations around the country and costs $14 per month. Peacock Premium Plus provides a live stream of your local NBC station in all markets, and costs $20 per month.
CNN All Access is available for customers who only want to stream election coverage on CNN. This service costs $7 per month, or $52 per year with a current discount. Audiences who only want to watch Fox News on election night can sign up for Fox One, which costs $20 per month after a seven-day free trial. MS NOW Membership is an option for audiences who prefer the left-leaning network’s coverage on election nights. This service costs $8 per month or $80 per year.
Sling TV
Sling TV is The Streamable’s choice for cord-cutters on a budget. Sling is a live TV streaming service with multiple channel packages. The $45.99/month Sling Orange plan offers about 30 channels, including Disney Channel and ESPN. The $45.99/month Sling Blue plan offers about 40 channels, including ABC, Fox, and NBC in major markets.
You can combine Orange+Blue for a total of $60.99 / month. Sling also offers many channel add-on packages starting at $6/month.
