Five States to Close Schools on Election Day

A review of school calendars finds all analyzed districts in Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island and West Virginia will have no classes on Nov. 3, 2026.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Elections

Isometric editorial illustration of a single yellow pencil resting on an empty wooden school desk, evoking a school day off. — Five states, including Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island and West Virginia, will close every school district they track on Nov. 3, 2026, Election Day for the U.S. midterms. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should your local schools stay open on Election Day?

Nov. 3, 2026, the date of the U.S. midterm elections, will bring a day off for students in 79 school districts across five states. Nationwide, 104 of 179 analyzed districts in 13 states will have no classes that day.

Why it matters

The closures coincide with midterm legislative elections, when millions of Americans will head to the polls. Some schools serve as polling places on Election Day, and some districts schedule teacher training or days off that day.

A review by SchoolYearCalendars.com, last updated Oct. 15, 2026, found all 27 analyzed Connecticut districts, 13 New Hampshire districts, 14 New Mexico districts, 14 Rhode Island districts and 11 West Virginia districts closed on Nov. 3, 2026. The review analyzed 179 districts across 13 states, and it does not cover every district nationwide.

The players

SchoolYearCalendars.com

A website that compiles school calendars and publishes district-level review data on school schedules across the United States.

The details

Five states will suspend classes in all analyzed school districts on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026. West Virginia's closures are covered under Section 18A-5-2 of the West Virginia Code, while families are advised to check whether the day is listed as Election Day, No School or a teacher professional development day.

Oct. 15, 2026: SchoolYearCalendars.com review last updated.
Nov. 3, 2026: Midterm elections and school closures in identified districts.

Season Context

Nov. 3, 2026 falls on the fixed U.S. midterm Election Day, the same date set for every midterm cycle. The school closures in these districts track that fixed calendar rather than any new policy change.

Parents in the affected states should check their district calendar to confirm whether Nov. 3 is a school day, a teacher training day or a day off. Families whose schools double as polling places should plan child care accordingly.

The takeaway

Check your district's calendar before Nov. 3, 2026, since some closures are tied to Election Day and others to teacher training. The date is set for the midterms, so planning now avoids last-minute child-care scrambles.