Late-Night Shows to Forgo Live Election Night Coverage
Networks will skip live election night episodes for the first time in 24 years on November 3, 2026.
Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Television
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Late-night television hosts are scheduled to air zero live episodes during the midterm elections on November 3, 2026. This decision breaks a 24-year streak of live election night programming that began in 2002.
Why it matters
The shift marks a departure from historical norms where networks utilized late-night programs to provide immediate reaction and commentary on election results. Major broadcast networks have instead chosen to prioritize dedicated news coverage over traditional entertainment formats for the night.
Zero programs are slated for live broadcast on election night, ending a 24-year streak of such episodes. This contrasts with 2022, when two shows provided live coverage, and 2018, when four shows aired live.
The players
Jimmy Kimmel
He is the host of the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! which is produced and broadcast by ABC.
Stephen Colbert
He is the host of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, a program broadcast by CBS.
Seth Meyers
He is the host of the late-night program Late Night with Seth Meyers on NBC.
The details
ABC and Comedy Central plan to air pre-taped episodes of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Daily Show, respectively. While Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be taped later than its usual 11:35 p.m. time slot to capture East Coast results, ABC may still interrupt the broadcast for live news if results determine control of Congress.
Timeline
2002: Start of the historical streak for live election night episodes.
November 2018: Four late-night shows aired live for the midterm elections.
2022: Two late-night shows aired live for the midterm elections.
November 3, 2026: Date of the upcoming midterm elections.
Industry Dynamics
This move signals a significant shift in late-night television, departing from the live election coverage model prevalent during the 2018 midterm elections. The industry is moving away from entertainment-led political analysis in favor of centralized network news programming.
Viewers will not be able to watch live, election-focused episodes of their favorite late-night shows on election night. Instead, they must rely on standard network news coverage or pre-taped entertainment segments that may be subject to interruption.
The takeaway
The move suggests that networks are increasingly viewing live political reaction as the domain of dedicated news departments rather than entertainment hosts. Audiences looking for immediate election night updates should tune into network news broadcasts for the most reliable coverage.
Further reading
Find more details on the shifting landscape of broadcast programming in the Television section.
Live Poll
Do you prefer that late-night talk shows prioritize live election updates over their scheduled comedic programming?
