Black voters moved in 2026. What did it win, and what comes next?

On this page: Across the country: a record midterm, and one voice; State by state: where every Black ballot can be counted; and Five Black governors in one night

Across the country: a record midterm, and one voice

More than 124 million ballots were cast in the 2026 midterm, a record, the University of Florida Election Lab reports (ABC News).

Black voters were 9% of everyone who voted, about 11 million people if that share holds across the record count, the CNN Voter Poll by SSRS estimates (about 80,000 voters, updated November 4). They backed the Democrat for the House 90% to 9%. Black women voted 93% to 6%, and Black men 86% to 12%.

The AP Voter Poll, a survey of more than 100,000 voters in all 50 states conducted by SSRS for The Associated Press and six news networks, estimates that nationwide:

• About 9 in 10 Black voters backed the Democrat in their U.S. House race, up from about 8 in 10 who voted for Kamala Harris in 2024.
• Only about 1 in 10 Black men backed the Republican for the House, down from about one quarter who voted for Donald Trump in 2024.

Black men's votes in 2024 were the most talked about shift in the country. In 2026, Black men and Black women moved together.

Black voters also voted early. The NAACP reports that Black early and absentee voting ran ahead of 2022 at the same point in Georgia, Florida, Texas and Michigan, from 20% higher in Georgia to 53% higher in Texas (NAACP, an advocacy organization, November 4). "Once again, Black voters have proven that we are not bystanders in this country, we are its builders," said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson.

On Election Night, LaTosha Brown, a cofounder of Black Voters Matter, a voting rights group, said turnout in some states looked like 2008, when Barack Obama first ran, and especially high in Michigan and Mississippi (Associated Press, via PBS NewsHour, November 3). The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation had more than 2,000 poll observers working, and its president, Melanie Campbell, said that watch continues through the count and certification.

State by state: where every Black ballot can be counted

Most states do not ask your race when you register, so no official national count of Black voters exists yet; the Census Bureau's national survey of who voted comes months after the election. A few Southern states do record race, and their own files show the early vote.

North Carolina. 600,699 Black voters cast an accepted early or mail ballot, beside 408,585 in the 2022 midterm. That is 192,114 more, up 47%. Black voters cast 21.2% of all early and mail ballots, up from 18.6%. The count grew in 96 of 100 counties; in Mecklenburg County it rose 68%, to 96,291.

Georgia. At least 838,672 Black voters voted early in person or by mail by the night before Election Day, beside 741,633 in all of the 2022 midterm. That is about 97,000 more, up 13%, and it grew in 119 of 159 counties: Henry up 24%, Gwinnett 20%, Cobb 15%, Fulton 12%. In Georgia, about 9 in 10 Black men voted for Keisha Lance Bottoms, beside about three quarters for Harris in 2024 (AP Voter Poll, a survey estimate).

Louisiana. 179,094 Black voters voted early through October 27, beside 98,008 in 2022, up about 83%, from Louisiana Secretary of State data (KPLC). Black voters were nearly 35% of the early electorate, the highest early turnout among Black Louisianans since 2008, Capital B News reports.

Five Black governors in one night

Before Tuesday, three Black people had ever been elected governor of a state. On November 3, five Black governors were elected, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies reports, more than doubling that history from three to seven:

• Keisha Lance Bottoms, Democrat, Georgia. The first Black woman elected governor of any state. With 99% counted, she had 54.3% of the vote (CBS News).
• Byron Donalds, Republican, Florida. The first Black Republican elected governor, and Florida's first Black governor. About one quarter of Black men in Florida voted for him, and about 1 in 10 Black women (AP Voter Poll, a survey estimate).
• Aaron Ford, Democrat, Nevada. Nevada's first Black governor.
• David Crowley, Democrat, Wisconsin. Wisconsin's first Black governor.
• Wes Moore, Democrat, Maryland. Reelected.

A first is a first in either party. Every one of these governors is measured the same way from here: by what their record does for Black families.

On this page: More Black voices in the U.S. Senate; Mississippi is still counting; Your vote, from your street to Congress; Who decides, from you up; What you can do this week; and One thing to do

More Black voices in the U.S. Senate

Black representation in the Senate grows from five to at least six, a record, the Joint Center reports. Juliana Stratton, Democrat, was elected in Illinois, and Cory Booker, Democrat, was reelected in New Jersey.

CBS News projects Democrats will hold at least 54 seats in the new Senate, with Alaska and Mississippi still counting, and a majority in the House. About 9 in 10 Black voters backed Democrats for the House. That is power, and power comes due: every member elected with Black votes now builds a record on judges, the budget, health care and food aid, and SourceLine will measure it by what it does for Black families.

Other races Black voters helped decide: in Texas, Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the most expensive Senate race in state history (CBS News), after working to earn Black voters' support, the Houston Defender reported. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers (CBS News).

Mississippi is still counting

In Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom leads Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith by about 1,800 votes in news counts, with affidavit and late mail ballots still being counted. No news outlet has called the race. If his lead holds, Colom would be the first Black U.S. senator from Mississippi since Blanche K. Bruce, whose term ended in 1881 (Magnolia Tribune).

Mississippi has the largest Black share of any state, 36.4% (Census Bureau, 2020 to 2024). NAACP members and volunteers are in all 82 counties helping voters make their affidavit ballots count (CNN). Follow every update on SourceLine's Mississippi count watch: https://mysourceline.com/stories/mississippi-senate-count-watch/

Your vote, from your street to Congress

The power that moved on November 3 lives in your address. Type your ZIP code or street address to see, by name, who represents you in your state legislature and in Congress, and the share of citizens of voting age where you live who are Black.

Who decides, from you up

You and your neighbors. You decided the 2026 midterm. The next elections for city, county and school board come sooner than you think. Ask: when is my next election, and who is on my ballot?

Your county election office. It counts every ballot and certifies your county's result. Ask: when will our county's official count be posted?

Your state. Georgia certifies by November 20. Mississippi's counties certify by November 13, and its Secretary of State, Michael Watson, declares the result on December 3. Ask your state's chief election officer: when will my state post who voted, by race, for Election Day?

Your members of Congress. The new Congress is sworn in on January 3, 2027. Ask your two senators and your House member: what will you do in your first 100 days for families in our community?

What you can do this week

1. Voted an affidavit ballot in Mississippi without a photo ID? Take an acceptable photo ID to your county circuit clerk's office by Tuesday, November 10, or your vote does not count. Mailed ballots postmarked by November 3 count if they arrive by November 10.
2. Help one person. If you know someone who voted by affidavit in Mississippi, ask if they have shown their ID yet.
3. Know who represents you. Type your address below. Save your senators' and your House member's phone numbers.
4. Watch what is decided next. Your address page shows what is being decided for your city, county and state now, who decides and the next date to weigh in.

One thing to do

Type your address and write down the names of the three people who represent you in Congress. They were elected with your vote. Now they answer to it.