Why doesn't the House seat count match the popular vote?

Because seats are won district by district, not in proportion to the national vote. So far Democrats have 55.4% of the vote and 59.8% of the seats (260 of 435); Republicans have 43.1% of the vote and 40.2% of the seats (175).

Each district elects one member, and winning a district by one vote or by a million counts the same. A party whose voters are packed into a few districts wins those seats by huge margins and loses close ones elsewhere; how district lines are drawn decides much of that. Uncontested seats add little or nothing to the vote for either side, and the party that wins the national vote by a few points usually wins a larger share of seats than votes.

How is the midterms popular vote calculated?

Counts as of Nov. 6, 2026, 12:14 p.m. ET.