Posted April 29, 2026 | by KimS | in 2026 Elections, DemDaily, Democratic Party, Elections Calendar, House, Senate

DemDaily: The 2026 Calendar and Election Updates!

April 29, 2026

March kicked off the official primary calendar for the 2026 elections, which promise to be among the most consequential midterm contests in decades.

Five states have held their primaries, including Arkansas, North Carolina and Texas March 3; Mississippi March 10, and Illinois March 17.

In one of the highest-profile US Senate primaries -- for both political parties -- Lone Star Democrats elected State Representative James Talarico their nominee, while the GOP contest is going to a May 26 runoff between four-term Republican incumbent John Cornyn and State Attorney General Ken Paxton.

In another early, heavily contested US Senate primary, Illinois Democrats made history by electing the next likely Black woman, just the sixth, to the upper chamber of Congress.

Heading into the 2026 midterm elections, Republicans control both chambers of Congress. With a 53-47 GOP majority in the Senate, Democrats will need to flip a net four seats to retake the Senate. Republicans hold a 220-215 majority in the House, including vacancies in three Democratic and two Republican-held seats. Democrats need a net gain of three districts to win back the lower chamber.

Heading into the 2026 midterm elections, Republicans control both chambers of Congress. With a 53-47 GOP majority in the Senate, Democrats will need to flip a net four seats to retake the Senate. Republicans hold a 220-215 majority in the House, including vacancies in three Democratic and two Republican-held seats. Democrats need a net gain of three districts to win back the lower chamber.

2026 ELECTION UPDATES
In the highly competitive March 17 Illinois US Senate primary, Lieutenant Governor Julia Stratton won the Democratic nomination to succeed Senator Dick Durbin (D), who is retiring after representing Illinois in the upper chamber for five terms. Stratton secured 40.2% of the vote to Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi's 33.1%, followed by Congresswoman Robin Kelly with 18.1%.

In the general election, in the deep blue state that Kamala Harris carried by 11% in 2024, Stratton is heavily favored to defeat attorney and former Illinois GOP Party Chair Don Tracy.

Of Illinois' 17 Congressional seats, 14 are held by Democrats -- five of whom are not running for re-election. All five open seats are in heavily blue districts, positioning the Democratic nominee to win the general election.

In Other Elections
April 7: Lookout Mountain District Attorney Clayton Fuller (R) won the special runoff election for Georgia's 14th Congressional District, defeating retired Army Brigadier General Shawn Harris (D) 55.9%-44.1%.

The two advanced from the March 10 all-party, 17-candidate primary for the seat vacated by controversial conservative Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who resigned in January 2026 following a public clash with President Donald Trump.

In a surprise outcome, Harris led the March 17 primary vote with 37.3% to Fuller's 34.9% in the R+19 District, which Greene won in 2024 with 64.4%. Millions from outside organizations and a united GOP field carried Fuller to a sound win, but his margin of victory was less than one-third of Trump’s 37-point win in the district in 2024.

April 16: New Jersey 11th Congressional District Special General Election, progressive activist Analilia Mejia soundly defeated Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway (R), 60.1%-39.4%.

Mejia succeeds former Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (D), who resigned after winning the New Jersey gubernatorial election in November 2025.

April 21: In a resounding victory for Democrats, and a significant blow to Trump's unprecedented mid-decade redistricting war, Virginia voters approved, by 51.5%-48.5%, their own counter-constitutional redistricting amendment in defiance of his direct assault on the democratic process.

Democrats have triumphed or overperformed in every key state or special election since Donald Trump took office in January 2025, and are on track to retake control of the US House of Representatives in the critical 2026 midterm elections.

Democrats have triumphed or overperformed in every key state or special election since Donald Trump took office in January 2025, and are on track to retake control of the US House of Representatives in the critical 2026 midterm elections.

The 2026 ELECTION CALENDAR

MAY 2026
May 5: Indiana Primary
May 5: Ohio Primary

May 12: Nebraska Primary
May 12: West Virginia Primary

May 16: Louisiana Primary. Congressional elections only (Runoff: 06/27/2026)

May 19: Alabama Primary (Runoff: 06/16/2026)
May 19: Georgia Primary (Runoff: 06/16/2026)
May 19: Idaho Primary
May 19: Kentucky Primary
May 19: Oregon Primary
May 19: Pennsylvania Primary

May 26: Texas Primary Runoff

JUNE 2026
June 2: California Primary
June 2: Iowa Primary
June 2: Montana Primary
June 2: New Jersey Primary. Congressional elections only.
June 2: New Mexico
June 2: South Dakota (Runoff: 07/28/2026)

June 9: Maine Primary
June 9: Nevada Primary
June 9: North Dakota Primary
June 9: South Carolina Primary (Runoff: 06/23/2026)

June 16: Oklahoma Primary (Runoff: 08/25/2026)
June 16: District of Columbia Primary

June 23: Maryland Primary
June 23: New York Primary
June 23: Utah Primary

June 30: Colorado Primary

JULY 2026
July 21: Arizona Primary

A handful of states operate under a blanket or unique primary system. Louisiana holds a partisan semi-closed primary for federal and selected state elections, while maintaining its traditional all-party "jungle primary" for governor, state legislature, and local offices. In California and Washington, the top two winners of a nonpartisan blanket primary advance to the general. Alaska operates under a nonpartisan top-four primary system followed by a ranked-choice voting (RCV) general election, and Maine is the only state to use ranked-choice voting for both primary and general elections.

A handful of states operate under a blanket or unique primary system. Louisiana holds a partisan semi-closed primary for federal and selected state elections, while maintaining its traditional all-party "jungle primary" for governor, state legislature, and local offices. In California and Washington, the top two winners of a nonpartisan blanket primary advance to the general. Alaska operates under a nonpartisan top-four primary system followed by a ranked-choice voting (RCV) general election, and Maine is the only state to use ranked-choice voting for both primary and general elections.

AUGUST 2026
August 1: Guam Primary
August 1: Virgin Islands Primary

August 4: Virginia Primary. Congressional elections only.
August 4: Kansas Primary
August 4: Michigan Primary
August 4: Missouri Primary
August 4: Washington Primary

August 6: Tennessee Primary
August 8: Hawaii Primary

August 11: Connecticut Primary
August 11: Minnesota Primary
August 11: Vermont Primary
August 11: Wisconsin Primary

August 18: Alaska Primary
August 18: Florida Primary
August 18: Wyoming Primary

SEPTEMBER 2026
September 1: Massachusetts Primary
September 8: New Hampshire Primary
September 9: Rhode Island Primary
September 15: Delaware Primary

OCTOBER 2026
No Elections Scheduled

Runoffs are required in 11 states -- in either the primary or general election -- when no candidate achieves a required vote threshold, sending the top-two finishers to a second election. In Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas, a majority, or over 50%, is required to avoid a runoff. In North Carolina, candidates must win with at least 30%. In South Dakota the threshold is 35%, but only in congressional and gubernatorial primaries; and Vermont, only in case of a tie.

Runoffs are required in 11 states -- in either the primary or general election -- when no candidate achieves a required vote threshold, sending the top-two finishers to a second election. In Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas, a majority, or over 50%, is required to avoid a runoff. In North Carolina, candidates must win with at least 30%. In South Dakota the threshold is 35%, but only in congressional and gubernatorial primaries; and Vermont, only in case of a tie.

NOVEMBER 2026
November 3: General Elections Nationwide