Six States Vote Tuesday as the Midterm Ballot Takes Shape

What is on the ballot today

Tuesday, August 11, 2026, is one of the densest primary dates left on the midterm calendar. Voters in Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, and Wisconsin cast ballots for party nominees for governor, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, and state offices (EL PAIS English, August 10, 2026; Associated Press, August 11, 2026). South Carolina Republicans hold a special primary to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham on the November ballot (South Carolina Election Commission, July 13, 2026). Alabama runs special primaries in four congressional districts (NCSL, 2026 primary calendar).

The date sits 84 days before the November 3 general election (EL PAIS English, August 10, 2026). Primaries do not decide who controls Congress. They decide who gets the chance. That is the honest frame for a day that looks chaotic on a cable chyron and orderly once you list the offices.

South Carolina: a ten person field and a majority rule

South Carolina's special Republican primary exists because Graham, already renominated in June with 56.8 percent of the vote, died on July 11 at age 71 (Wikipedia, 2026 United States Senate election in South Carolina; The Washington Post, July 12, 2026). Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darline Graham, to finish the current term on July 13. She is seeking the nomination for a full term along with U.S. Reps. Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, former Gov. Mark Sanford, and a larger field that filed by July 28 (Ballotpedia, 2026; League of Women Voters of South Carolina).

An Emerson College poll in late July found Norman at 22 percent, Darline Graham at 19 percent, Fry at 12 percent, Sanford at 11 percent, Mark Lynch at 7 percent, and Danny Ford at 2 percent (The Hill, July 30, 2026; Emerson College Polling, 2026). No candidate approached 50 percent. If no one clears a majority tonight, the top two meet in an August 25 runoff (SC Votes; AARP South Carolina, August 7, 2026). Cook Political Report rates the November general election Solid Republican (Cook Political Report, SC Senate 2026). Democrat Annie Andrews is already the Democratic nominee. US Political Rank scores the seat near the bottom of its 2026 Senate flip likelihood board for that reason.

Minnesota: an open Senate seat and a competitive House district

Minnesota's primary is a full statewide card. On the Democratic side of the open U.S. Senate race to succeed retiring Sen. Tina Smith, Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are the principal contenders (EL PAIS English, August 10, 2026; Minnesota Reformer, August 10, 2026). Republicans choose among a nine candidate field that includes former sports commentator Michele Tafoya (EL PAIS English, August 10, 2026).

In the U.S. House, Minnesota's 2nd District is the state's most competitive open seat after Rep. Angie Craig left it to run statewide. The Democratic primary includes former state Sen. Matt Little, state Rep. Kaela Berg, and state Sen. Matt Klein among others; state Sen. Eric Pratt is the presumptive Republican nominee after running without opposition (Minnesota Reformer, August 10, 2026; Wikipedia, 2026 Minnesota House elections). Cook rates MN-2 Likely Democrat among open seats on the House board (Cook Political Report House ratings, 2026; 270toWin, August 10, 2026). That is still a district worth watching on a map where only a thin band of seats decides the majority. For the districts already scored as the tightest in the country, see the site's ranking of the 20 most competitive House districts of 2026.

Wisconsin, Connecticut, and Vermont: governors and House targets

Wisconsin Democrats choose a nominee to succeed term limited Gov. Tony Evers. Four candidates remain: state Rep. Francesca Hong, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, former state cabinet secretary Joel Brennan, and state Sen. Kelda Roys (EL PAIS English, August 10, 2026). The winner is expected to face Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in November. Wisconsin also holds a Democratic primary in the 3rd Congressional District, a chief Democratic House target against GOP incumbent Derrick Van Orden (Bolts Magazine, August 2026 elections guide).

In Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont seeks a third term against state Rep. Josh Elliott in the Democratic primary; the winner faces Republican state Sen. Ryan Fazio (EL PAIS English, August 10, 2026). Lamont won reelection in 2022 with 56 percent. In the 1st Congressional District, 78 year old Rep. John Larson faces his first primary challenge since 1998 (EL PAIS English, August 10, 2026). In Vermont, Democrats choose between economist Amanda Janoo and Aly Richards to face Republican Gov. Phil Scott, who won 73 percent in 2024 and faces no Republican primary opponent (EL PAIS English, August 10, 2026).

How today fits the midterm scoreboard

Cook's Senate board as of August 5 lists four Toss Ups, three Lean Democratic seats, and fourteen Solid Republican seats among the races on the ballot (Cook Political Report, August 5, 2026). Democrats still need a net gain of four for a majority under the chamber math Cook publishes (Cook Senate ratings summary, August 6, 2026). South Carolina is not on that competitive list. Minnesota's open seat is. That is the difference between a nomination fight inside a safe column and a race that can move the chamber.

On the House side, Cook's July 16 summary listed 18 Toss Ups with 184 Solid Democratic and 185 Solid Republican seats around them (Cook Political Report House ratings). Overnight, Cook moved Ohio's 7th District from Likely Republican to Toss Up after Rep. Max Miller stayed on the ballot (Cook Political Report, August 10, 2026; The Hill, August 10, 2026). The New York Times midterms tracker, citing Cook, shows 19 House Toss Ups as of August 10 (New York Times, August 10, 2026). Primary day and ratings day are different machines. Both are running this week. Polls close at 7 p.m. ET in Vermont, 8 p.m. ET in Connecticut and Wisconsin, and 9 p.m. ET in Minnesota (EL PAIS English, August 10, 2026). South Carolina polls run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The system is doing what it is designed to do: put names on a November ballot in public, on a schedule, with a majority rule where the state requires one.