The NBA hit pause on Election Day for the fourth time in five years as all 30 teams around the league had Tuesday off.
The NBA’s ‘Get In The Game. VOTE.’ campaign essentially stretched across two days, with every team in action on Monday, as players and broadcasts spread awareness for Tuesday’s midterm election around the United States. Players wore ‘VOTE’ shirts during pregame warmups at all 15 games held on Monday night.
The NBA sitting out Election Day began in 2022 when Joe Biden occupied the White House. The league followed suit in 2022, ’23, ’24, and now ’26, but did host games on Election Day in 2025 as it was an off-year with Virginia and New Jersey the only two states holding gubernatorial elections.
A detail view of the warmup shirt of Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers prior to a game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on November 2, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Tyler McFarland/Getty Images) (Tyler McFarland/Getty Images)
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The NBA has emphasized the importance of Election Day by ceasing operations while simultaneously hosting games on Christmas Day for more than 75 years.
“Making your voice heard through your vote is empowering,” James Cadogan, executive director of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, said in a statement. “We’re excited to engage fans across the country and inspire voters of all ages, demographics, and perspectives to come together and help shape our future.”
Miami Heat stands for the National Anthem before the game against the LA Clippers on November 3, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) (Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
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While the NBA hit pause on Tuesday night, other leagues around the United States went about their business as usual.
The NHL held 11 games on Tuesday, eight of which were hosted in the United States. In college football, the MAC was in action with Miami (OH) hosting Buffalo and Akron taking on Ohio, while over 25 college basketball games took place around the country as well.
Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Washington Wizards on November 4, 2024 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) (Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images)
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The 2026 midterms consisted of 36 gubernatorial races and saw a ‘Blue Tsunami’ take place, with Democrats taking control of Congress. Battleground Senate seats in Michigan, Texas, South Carolina, and North Carolina, among others, fell in favor of the Democrats, as did the House in Iowa, Nebraska, and Virginia.