Good morning. It's Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Across the country, roughly 210 million registered voters are eligible to help decide control of Congress today, in a midterm election that will shape the nation's direction for the next two years.
Every one of the 435 House seats is on the ballot, along with 35 Senate seats and 36 governor offices. It is a day defined by participation and patience, as results begin arriving tonight and some close contests may take longer to settle.
Away from the polls, families are also watching an unusually early flu season, a steady decision from the Federal Reserve, and a fresh warning about phone scams aimed at older Americans. Here is what you need to know, calmly and clearly.
The Top Stories
First, Americans are voting today in the 2026 midterm elections, which will decide control of Congress. All 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, and 36 governor offices are on the ballot, with Republicans defending a narrow 218 to 214 House majority.
Why it matters: these results will shape federal policy on taxes, health care, and spending for the next two years. Second, the Federal Reserve held its key interest rate steady in a range of 3.75 to 4 percent on October 28, with the next decision set for December 9.
The vote was 10 to 2, and futures markets now lean toward a quarter point increase next month. Why it matters: the Fed's choices affect the cost of mortgages, car loans, and credit cards, and the interest you earn on savings.
Third, the CDC reported on October 30 that flu is spreading unusually early, driven by an H1N1 strain, with adults 65 and older facing the highest hospitalization rate. Doctors say it is not too late to get a flu shot.
Why it matters: an early start gives older adults a window to protect themselves before the holidays.
Washington & the Nation
Polling places are opening in waves throughout the day across the country's time zones, and officials expect heavy turnout among the roughly 210 million registered voters. In the Senate, Democrats need a net gain of four seats to reach a majority, while Republicans can hold control with 50 seats because the vice president breaks ties.
In the House, Democrats need to flip only a few close districts. Results will arrive through the evening and into Wednesday, and some tight races may take days to call. Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission is warning about a scam that often targets older Americans.
In an alert first issued October 22, the FTC described callers who pretend to be agency officials, read off a fake badge number, and claim your phone was used in crimes overseas. They threaten to shut off your phone, transfer you to a fake police officer, and demand money.
The real FTC says it never calls to threaten your phone service or demand payment. If you get such a call, hang up and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Around the World
Attention overseas is turning to the United Nations climate conference, known as COP31, which opens November 9 in Antalya, Turkiye, and runs through November 20. This year carries an unusual arrangement in which Turkiye hosts the talks while Australia leads the negotiations, a compromise reached after both countries sought the role.
Delegates from nearly 200 nations are expected, and a World Leaders Summit is scheduled for November 11 and 12. Organizers are calling this an implementation meeting, meaning the focus is on turning past promises into action rather than announcing new pledges.
Separately, Brazil is set to release two roadmaps today, one on moving away from fossil fuels and one on ending deforestation, following up on commitments made at last year's summit in Belem. Officials say those documents will outline options and priorities rather than set binding targets.
The backdrop is a year of record heat and extreme weather in many regions. For American families, these talks can influence long term energy policy and the price of goods that depend on global supply.
Your Money
Stocks sent a mixed signal in delayed trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished higher, while the broader S&P 500 slipped lower and the technology heavy Nasdaq also fell.
The Russell 2000, which tracks smaller companies, ended the day down as well, a sign that investors were cautious about parts of the economy most sensitive to borrowing costs. The gap between the Dow's gain and the declines elsewhere suggests money moved toward steadier, established companies.
In commodities, gold moved up, a pattern often seen when investors seek safety or a hedge against inflation. Oil prices eased lower, which can bring some relief at the gas pump in the weeks ahead.
Much of the market's attention remains fixed on the Federal Reserve, which held rates steady on October 28 and meets again December 9. For retirees and savers, steady rates mean the interest on many savings accounts and certificates of deposit may hold near current levels for now, so it can pay to compare what your bank offers.
Health & You
Here is one practical step for this early flu season. The CDC reports that influenza is spreading weeks ahead of its usual schedule, and adults 65 and older are landing in the hospital at the highest rate of any age group, about 5.8 cases for every 100,000 people.
The encouraging news is that early laboratory testing suggests this season's circulating H1N1 strain still closely matches the virus this year's vaccine was built around, and it is not too late to get your shot. If you are 65 or older, ask your pharmacist or doctor about the higher dose vaccines designed for your age group, which are meant to produce a stronger response.
You can often get a flu shot and an updated COVID shot at the same visit. A few simple habits help too: wash your hands often, stay home if you feel sick, and consider a mask in crowded indoor places.
Because children often pass flu to grandparents, making sure the young ones in your life are vaccinated protects you as well. If you do catch the flu, call your doctor early, because antiviral medicine works best when started soon.
One Good Thing
Amid the worry about an early flu season, there is encouraging laboratory science to share. When CDC researchers tested samples of this season's circulating H1N1 virus, 97 of 103 samples, about 94 percent, were recognized in the laboratory by antibodies raised against the reference viruses used to build this year's vaccine.
In plain terms, this is early laboratory evidence that the strain making people sick still looks a great deal like the version the vaccine was designed around, even though it picked up a small mutation. This is not a measure of how well the shot works in people, which takes a full season to study, but it is a reassuring sign heading into winter.
It is a quiet reminder that decades of steady scientific work, updated and tested every single year, continue to guide the effort. Millions of Americans will roll up a sleeve this month, many at no cost, and in doing so they take a widely available, low cost step that doctors recommend.
Sometimes the most reassuring news is not dramatic at all. It is the steady, careful work going on behind the scenes.
On This Day
In 1957, The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2 carrying the dog Laika, the first living creature to orbit the Earth. In 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson was elected president of the United States in a landslide over Barry Goldwater.
In 1979, Five anti-Klan demonstrators were killed in a confrontation in Greensboro, North Carolina. In 1933, Amartya Sen, Indian economist and Nobel laureate. (From the 50PlusHub Nostalgia archive.)
That is the briefing for this Election Day. If you have not yet voted, check your local polling hours before you head out, and bring a valid ID if your state requires one.
Be patient tonight, because accurate results are worth more than fast ones. Take a moment this week to schedule a flu shot if you have not already, and remember that no real government agency will call to threaten your phone service or demand payment.
When in doubt, hang up and verify. Look after your health, look after your neighbors, and treat one another with the patience this week may ask of us. I'm Alex, and this has been The Daily Briefing.
Thank you for spending part of your morning with us. We will see you again tomorrow.
Sources
- Britannica, 2026 U.S. Midterm Elections, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2026)
- CBS News, Here's What the U.S. Is Voting On Today for the 2026 Midterm Elections (2026)
- CDC, FluView Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report (2026)
- CNBC, Fed Interest Rate Decision October 2026 (2026)
- Federal Trade Commission, The FTC Is Not Calling to Deactivate Your Phone Number, Consumer Alerts (2026)
- United Nations, COP31 to Take Place 9 to 20 November 2026 in Antalya, Turkiye (2026)
- U.S. Treasury (Treasury yields)
- Yahoo Finance (delayed market quotes)