Trump’s midterm test: the priciest gas on any Election Day

The national average for gas is above $4 a gallon on Election Day for the first time on record, higher than in 2022. Here’s how today’s price compares, why it’s high, and what voters have told pollsters about costs.

By Quinn BallardPublished


Gas Prices Hit an Election Day Record, Topping $4 for the First Time

As of November 3, 2026 (Election Day). Gas prices change daily; figures below are from Tuesday morning and afternoon.

Voters heading to the polls today are paying more for gas than on any previous Election Day. The national average was about $4.11 to $4.14 a gallon on Tuesday, depending on the source:

  • GasBuddy: $4.13 as of 10 a.m. Eastern, and about $4.11 by the afternoon.
  • AAA: $4.14.

It’s the first time the Election Day average has topped $4.

How it compares

The previous Election Day high was in 2022, when the national average was about $3.75 to $3.80 a gallon, depending on the source. AAA reported $3.80 the day before that election. These figures aren’t adjusted for inflation.

Today’s price is below this year’s peak of more than $4.56 a gallon in May, and down from about $4.50 in late September, according to AAA. But AAA’s national average has stayed above $4 since April, the longest such stretch on record, according to CarScoops.

Diesel is also at an Election Day high: about $6.29 a gallon, near the all-time record set in September.

Why prices are high

Analysts point to several factors:

  • The U.S.-Iran war, which has disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil leaving the Persian Gulf. More oil is moving through the strait than early in the war, but supplies remain tight.
  • Refining problems and low U.S. fuel inventories. Gasoline stocks are below seasonal norms, and diesel stocks are at record lows for this time of year, according to Bloomberg.
  • Global factors, including Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries and limited fuel exports from China.

What voters are saying

Cost of living has been the top issue in midterm polling all year:

  • Reuters/Ipsos: In an August poll, 47% of registered voters said the cost of living would be the single most important factor in their vote, with similar shares across parties. A later poll found voters preferred Democrats’ approach on cost of living over Republicans’, 36% to 28%.
  • New York Times/Siena: In a mid-October poll, 73% of likely voters disapproved of President Trump’s handling of gas prices and 24% approved.

Trump’s ratings on inflation and cost of living have consistently trailed his overall approval.

What Trump has said

  • On oil industry profits: Trump has argued that high oil prices are bringing money into the country. At an October 24 rally in Georgia, he said aides had urged him not to talk about the oil industry’s profits while people pay more at the pump, and said he didn’t “give a damn” and would say it anyway.
  • On prices: He has also said gas prices will fall once the war with Iran ends.
  • On oil companies: In August, he criticized Exxon and Chevron for making “too much money” from high fuel prices.

Early in the war, Trump described higher gas prices as a small price to pay.

What to watch

  • Exit polls, which will show how much voters who cite cost of living or gas prices favored each party.
  • Results in energy-producing states like Texas and Alaska, where high oil prices affect both drivers and the state economy.

Sources

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