Voters in Bellingham and Marysville decide House seats while ten key Senate races unfold
Washington polls close at 8 p.m. As voters in Whatcom County cast ballots for House seats and local offices, joining a national contest that includes ten pivotal U.S. Senate races.
By James Mitchell ·
Voters in Whatcom County, Washington, are heading to the polls or checking on their mail ballots on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, to participate in the midterm elections. In Bellingham, Marysville, and Lake Stevens, polls close at 8 p.m. Local time, though the state conducts its elections largely by mail. Washingtonians are voting for every U.S. House seat in the state, as well as for state legislative offices, state supreme court justices, and local measures that vary by county.
There is no U.S. Senate race or gubernatorial contest in Washington this year, meaning local voters are focusing on their congressional delegation and county-level decisions. The outcome of these local contests will determine who represents Whatcom County in the U.S. House of Representatives for the next two years, a role that is particularly significant in this midterm cycle.
The national picture is defined by a high-stakes referendum on President Donald Trump’s second term, with voters struggling with high prices and an unpopular war with Iran. More than 57 million people had already voted as of Monday, surpassing early vote totals from four years ago in many closely watched states. The Associated Press notes that one or two seats could tip the balance in either chamber of Congress.
Ten specific U.S. Senate matchups are drawing national attention as battlegrounds that could determine the balance of power in the upper chamber. In North Carolina, former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper faces former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley in a race that has gained prominence after incumbent Senator Thom Tillis retired following clashes with President Trump.
In Georgia, incumbent Senator Jon Ossoff is challenging Republican Representative Mike Collins. The Associated Press identifies this as a critical race where the Democratic party hopes to gain ground. In Ohio, Democratic former Senator Sherrod Brown is running against Republican Senator Jon Husted in a special election to fill the remainder of the term left by Vice President JD Vance.
Michigan presents a competitive field with Republican former Representative Mike Rogers facing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. On Sunday, El-Sayed’s former primary opponent Haley Stevens endorsed Rogers, adding a dynamic twist to the campaign. In Texas, Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, whom President Trump backed over Senator John Cornyn in the primary, is competing against Democrat James Talarico.
Maine is considered a toss-up in all four major race ratings, featuring incumbent Senator Susan Collins against Democratic former state Senate President Troy Jackson. The Associated Press reports that economic strain and tariffs have made the state competitive. In New Hampshire, Democratic Representative Chris Pappas is running against former Republican Senator John E. Sununu for the seat vacated by retiring Senator Jeanne Shaheen.
Minnesota is seeing a four-way race for the seat of retiring Senator Tina Smith, with Democratic Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and Republican Michele Tafoya, a former sports broadcaster, among the candidates. Kansas, a reliably Republican state, has become central to the fight for Senate control, while in Alaska, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit related to the certification of the Senate result.
The Associated Press describes the mood as one of caution, with Republicans bracing to lose the House and fighting to hold the Senate. Democrats are described as cautiously optimistic, with Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene stating that the American people are angry and want change. The financial stakes are high, with the 2026 elections likely to be the most expensive in history, as Republican committees outraised and outspent Democratic committees at the committee level.
For Washington voters, the day is a routine Tuesday, but the implications are national. As polls close at 8 p.m. In Whatcom County, the results will not only shape local governance in Bellingham and Marysville but will also contribute to the national tally that determines who controls Congress for the final two years of the current administration.
