Clockwise, from bottom left, are Josh Turek, a Democratic Iowa state representative, and Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, both U.S. Senate candidates for Iowa; and Democrat Troy Jackson and Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, both U.S. Senate candidates for Maine.

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Senators elected this November must answer a crucial question before their six-year term ends: What will they do to fix Social Security?

The program's trustees project that the trust fund Social Security relies on to help pay retirement benefits may be depleted in the fourth quarter of 2032. Without action from Congress before then, those benefits could be cut by 22%.

Lawmakers may enact reforms to prevent those automatic cuts. Or they may kick the can down the road.

Most voters — 81% — say they are more likely to support a candidate who has a plan to avoid automatic benefit cuts to Social Security over a candidate who promises not to touch the program, according to a recent survey of voters in states with competitive Senate races by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, a nonpartisan organization.

Even so, many Senate candidates' campaign platforms lack specifics on plans for the program's future.

While 35 Senate seats are up for grabs in November, including in special elections in Florida and Ohio, CNBC identified nine races where the candidates have mentioned their plans for the program's future. MS NOW says all nine races are closely contested battlegrounds, and it rates the possible outcomes.

Here is a closer look at those nine contests and what the candidates in those races have said about Social Security reform.

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Republican, and former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat, are U.S. Senate candidates for Alaska.

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Alaska voters will choose between incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, who served in the House from 2022 to 2025.

During his latest term, Sullivan voted yes on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which provided a new temporary senior tax deduction of up to $6,000 per eligible individual. Sullivan also voted for the Social Security Fairness Act, which ended reductions to certain government pensioners' Social Security checks. While both laws helped beneficiaries, they increased the program's costs.

Most older Alaska voters — 90% — say they are more likely to support a candidate who will ensure they receive the Social Security benefits they've earned, according to a September AARP survey.

During the 2014 Alaska Senate campaign, Sullivan said he would consider options to cut Social Security costs, such as raising the retirement age or means-testing benefits — a point his opponent raised during the 2026 race.

Sullivan's campaign did not respond to CNBC's requests for comment. During an Oct. 15 debate, he said benefits for retirees and near-retirees should be protected and that program reforms must be bipartisan.

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Peltola's platform calls for eliminating taxes on Social Security benefits, according to her campaign website. Peltola also co-sponsored the Social Security Fairness Act.

"Mary will stand up to anyone to fight for Alaska seniors and protect the benefits Alaskans have earned," a spokesperson for Peltola's campaign said in an email statement to CNBC.

MS NOW rates the Alaska Senate race a toss-up.

Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and Democrat Josh Turek are U.S. Senate candidates for Iowa.

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In the Hawkeye State, sitting Republican Sen. Joni Ernst is retiring, and the open seat's winner will be decided in a contest between Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek and U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, a Republican.

"One of the best ways to keep Social Security solvent is we have to remove the cap," Turek said at a Sept. 9 Des Moines town hall, referencing the maximum annual earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes.

Raising or eliminating the cap would mean high earners pay more into the program. In 2027, that threshold, adjusted annually, will rise to $192,300 from $184,500 in 2026. Proposals to raise the cap would generally leave that first threshold in place, and then reapply Social Security payroll taxes at a proposed earnings level, such as $250,000 or $400,000.

In a recent AARP interview, Hinson said, "Anyone who's going to propose cuts to Social Security is going to get a 'hell, no' from me." In 2024, Hinson voted on the House Appropriations Committee to cut Social Security Administration funding by up to $452 million.

In 2020, Hinson noted she was "open" to raising the Social Security retirement age but has since said she opposes that change. In the House, she voted for OBBBA and the Social Security Fairness Act.

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When the candidates were asked during an Oct. 13 debate about Social Security fixes, both said they would support a bipartisan commission.

A Social Security field office in Hinson's district in Decorah, Iowa, recently closed for six months. Some reports indicated low staffing, and political opponents and advocacy groups blamed Hinson's support for staffing cuts backed by DOGE, President Donald Trump's so-called Department of Government Efficiency. In a June 10 statement, Hinson called the six-month closure "unacceptable" and said she advocated for the office to reopen.

Turek "will protect Social Security by lifting the cap to make billionaires pay their fair share," a campaign spokesperson said in an email statement to CNBC.com.

Hinson's office did not respond to CNBC's requests for comment.

MS NOW rates the Iowa Senate race as "leans Republican."

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Troy Jackson during their debate for the midterm elections at the Gracie Theatre in Bangor, Maine, Oct. 15, 2026.

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Maine's incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, will face Democrat and former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson on the ballot.

During an Oct. 8 debate, Collins said the payroll tax cap should be "adjusted," signaling support for a largely Democratic proposal that has recently gained bipartisan backing. She also said Congress should create a commission of independent financial experts to advise on how to address the program's funding shortfall.

A September AARP survey found 81% of Maine voters age 50-plus say Social Security is an important issue for deciding their vote. Moreover, 93% said they are more likely to support a candidate who will make sure workers receive the Social Security benefits they've earned.

At the debate, Jackson said the threshold should be raised.

In a recent Bangor Daily News op-ed, Jackson said he wants to increase retirees' Social Security benefits. He also said he opposes privatizing the program and other benefit cuts.

In the op-ed, Jackson also said he will "never support" raising the retirement age. Collins said in a 2023 News Center Maine interview, in response to potential reforms being discussed at that time, that she does not support raising the age to 70.

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Collins co-authored the Social Security Fairness Act. She voted against OBBBA in its final vote, citing its Medicaid cuts. However, she did vote "yes" on an earlier motion to further the bill.

Collins' campaign did not respond to CNBC's request for comment.

"Troy will work to scrap the cap and require the wealthy to pay Social Security taxes on their whole income and expand benefits — not raise the retirement age," a Jackson campaign spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

MS NOW rates the Maine Senate race a toss-up.

Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican, at left, and Abdul El-Sayed, a Democrat, are U.S. Senate candidates for Michigan.

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Michigan voters face a choice between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers for Senate. El-Sayed most recently served as Wayne County public health director, and Rogers served as a U.S. representative for Michigan from 2001 to 2015.

El-Sayed said during an Oct. 8 television debate that the Social Security payroll tax cap should be eliminated. "It's only fair that the rich should pay their fair share," he said.

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He also said during the debate that taxes on Social Security benefits should be eliminated.

Rogers said during the debate that he supports a "bipartisan solution" through a committee to address the program's funding issues. "Put them in a room, lock the doors and say, 'Don't come out until we have a real solution that can get bipartisan support,'" he said.

An August AARP poll found that 93% of Michigan voters ages 50 and older said they are more likely to support a candidate who will ensure workers receive the Social Security benefits they've earned.

Rogers has not proposed raising the retirement age or privatizing the program during this campaign. However, he has said in the past that he would support raising the retirement age, according to PolitiFact. As a congressman, Rogers previously supported proposals to allow some Social Security payroll taxes to go to private investment accounts, according to the fact-checking website.

A campaign spokesperson said via email that Rogers understands Social Security is "a lifeline for seniors who've spent their entire lives working hard and investing into this state ... Mike will ensure that we invest in them."

El-Sayed's campaign did not respond to CNBC.com's request for comment.

MS NOW rates the Michigan race as a "toss-up."

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, a Republican, at left, and Dan Osborn, an independent, are U.S. Senate candidates for Nebraska.

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