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Overview > Sources
Sources
This site translates what voters said on November 3, 2026 into an agenda for 2027 and 2028. Here is what it draws on and how to read it.
What we drew on
- Election-day surveys of actual voters. The AP Voter Poll, conducted by SSRS with roughly 80,000 to 100,000 respondents in all 50 states, plus the NBC News Exit Poll and Fox News Voter Poll. KFF added health questions to the same survey.
- Pre-election issue surveys. Gallup (October 1 to 19, 1,057 registered voters), Pew Research Center (September 28 to October 4) and AP-NORC (October).
- Reported results from AP, CBS News and other outlets as of November 5, 2026.
How to read the numbers
- Several races are still being counted, so seat totals are projections.
- Early survey figures are often revised as final weights are applied; the direction of findings is more reliable than any single percentage.
- Polls measure different things. Gallup’s “extremely important” is stricter than Pew’s “very important,” and AP’s top-issue question forces one choice. Percentages are not directly comparable across polls.
- These are national findings. Test them in each state or district with local polling, listening sessions and constituent casework before final decisions.
Design options
Choices for keeping this evidence base current:
| Option | What it means | Trade-off |
| National baseline only | Update this page as final AP and Census turnout data are released. | Low cost; misses local differences. |
| District validation (recommended) | Add district polling with consistent question wording, focus groups and county-level data. | Shows whether voters back the problem, the solution or both. |
Success metrics
| Measure | Baseline | Target |
| Polls cited with sample, dates, wording and margin of error | Partial | All |
| Figures updated after final voter data | Not yet | Within 30 days of release |
All sources
- AP Voter Poll: The economy and the state of democracy are voters’ top issues (AP via PBS News, November 3, 2026)
- How Trump and Republicans lost the 2026 midterm elections, according to AP Voter Poll (AP via PBS News, November 4, 2026)
- AP Voter Poll: How key demographic groups voted in the 2026 midterms (AP via PBS News, November 3, 2026)
- The Issues Voters Say Matter Most This Midterm (Gallup, October 29, 2026)
- Economy Ranks as Top Issue in Midterms for All Voters (Pew Research Center, October 8, 2026)
- Health Care in the 2026 Midterm Election (KFF, updated November 4 to 5, 2026)
- Fox News Voter Poll: 2026 midterm elections usher in a blue wave (Fox News, November 4, 2026)
- Many voters saw midterm election as a rebuke of Trump, NBC News Exit Poll shows (NBC News, November 4, 2026)
- See CBS News exit poll results for the 2026 midterm elections (CBS News)
- Ahead of the midterms, most voters cite the economy and cost of living as top issues (AP-NORC, October 2026)
- 2026 midterm election updates (CBS News, seat projections)
- 2026 midterm election results: Who won the key House and Senate races? (Northeastern Global News, November 5, 2026)
- Inflation, tariffs and a voter revolt: The midterm verdict on Trump’s economy (AP report, November 5, 2026)
- Voters Put Affordability First (Forbes, November 4, 2026)
- AP Voter Poll 2026: how voters shifted since 2024 (secondary analysis of AP data)
- Following Callais: Views on Supreme Court Remain Mixed But Reforms Are Popular (Navigator Research, May 21, 2026)
- Majorities of Americans say Donald Trump gives out too many pardons and want to limit pardon power (Economist/YouGov, December 2025)
The 2026 Midterms: What Comes Next. Analysis updated November 8, 2026. Figures from election-day and pre-election surveys; projections may change as counting finishes.