How to Watch CNN’s 2026 Midterm Election Coverage Live Online: Streaming Options, Anchors and Key Races to Follow
by Anna Tingley · VarietyIf you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.
CNN is gearing up for extensive coverage of the 2026 midterm elections on Tuesday, Nov. 3 with Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper leading the network’s primetime special.
The network’s “Election Night in America” special begins at 4 p.m. ET with Tapper and Cooper co-anchoring live from Washington D.C. Dana Bash will focus on key Senate races, while Kaitlan Collins will report on reaction from President Donald Trump and his administration. Meanwhile, John King will return to CNN’s interactive Magic Wall to break down results as ballots are counted across the country.
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The best way to stream CNN’s election coverage live online is through a live TV streamer such as DirecTV, Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV.
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DirecTV includes the network in its live-TV packages and its more affordable MyNews genre pack. The latter currently costs $39.99 per month for the first two months, increasing to $44.99 afterward, and comes with a five-day free trial for eligible new subscribers. The package also includes Fox News, MS NOW and other news channels.
DirecTV is also bringing back its Election HQ feature from Nov. 2 through Nov. 4, allowing viewers with compatible equipment to watch CNN, Fox News, MS NOW and Newsmax simultaneously, alongside live election results provided by the Associated Press.
CNN is also available on both Sling Orange and Sling Blue, including Sling a special News and Election Multiview feature that lets subscribers follow four news networks at once. Sling Blue’s lineup includes CNN, Fox News, MS NOW and ABC News Live, while Sling Orange includes CNN, LiveNOW from Fox, ABC News Live and CBS News 24/7.
For viewers looking for free election coverage, Sling Freestream will carry programming from outlets including CBS News 24/7, ABC News Live and NBC News NOW, although the full CNN cable feed requires a paid subscription.
CNN’s election coverage will begin earlier in the day, starting at midnight ET with Elex Michaelson, followed by Erica Hill at 3 a.m., Audie Cornish at 5 a.m. and John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner at 7 a.m. Cooper will take over at 10 a.m., followed by Wolf Blitzer and Erin Burnett at noon.
Throughout the evening, Burnett will anchor a panel from Texas, one of this year’s most closely watched Senate battlegrounds. Other contributors include David Chalian, Kasie Hunt, Pamela Brown, Laura Coates and Tom Foreman, with political commentary from David Axelrod, Scott Jennings and Van Jones. Berman and Bolduan will take over overnight coverage at 2 a.m. Wednesday.
The stakes are particularly high for this year’s elections, the first nationwide vote since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. All 435 House seats and 35 Senate races are on the ballot, with Republicans defending their narrow congressional majorities. Democrats are hoping to regain control of at least one chamber, which would significantly alter the legislative landscape for the remainder of Trump’s presidency.
Among the Senate races drawing national attention are contests in Maine, where Republican incumbent Susan Collins faces Democrat Troy Jackson; Texas, where Democrat James Talarico is challenging Republican Ken Paxton; and Ohio, where former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is attempting a comeback against Republican incumbent Jon Husted. Competitive contests in Michigan, Iowa, Alaska and Kansas could also help determine the Senate majority.
CNN will have more than 25 correspondents reporting from key states, including Texas, Maine, Michigan, Georgia and Alaska, as well as coverage from the White House.
Viewers can also watch directly through CNN’s newly expanded All Access streaming subscription, available through CNN’s website, app and supported connected-TV devices.