About one in ten people who voted on Nov. 3 has served in the U.S. military, and nearly three in ten live in a household where someone has. Here’s how those voters said they voted for the U.S. House, according to early voter-poll estimates.
What the numbers show
- Voters who served favored Republican House candidates by about 16 points (57% to 41%).
- Military households were closer: 52% Republican and 46% Democratic, a gap of about 6 points.
- Veterans have leaned Republican in recent elections. These are early estimates and can shift as final counts come in.
What we don’t know yet
Polls don’t separate out active-duty service members, and military absentee ballots are counted in each service member’s home county rather than reported on their own. The Federal Voting Assistance Program reports how many military and overseas ballots were requested and returned, but that report usually comes out months after the election.
Veterans headed to Congress
Veterans from both parties won on Nov. 3. A preliminary count by Military.com found at least 52 veteran winners, 48 in House races and 4 in the Senate, out of about 258 veteran candidates on the ballot. Counts are unofficial until states certify results.
If you serve or vote from overseas
Military members, their families and U.S. citizens living abroad can register and request a ballot at FVAP.gov. Rules and deadlines for your home state are on its state page.
Sources: ABC News 2026 House voter poll; Military.com. Ballot Without Borders is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates or parties.