The Last Jobs Report Before Election Day Has Already Been Released. Here's What It Says.

The October numbers won't arrive until Nov. 6, three days after the vote. So September's report — 4.2% unemployment, 29,000 jobs — is the final official word voters get.

By Clara Hughes

Here's a calendar quirk most voters don't know. The Bureau of Labor Statistics will publish the October jobs report on Friday, Nov. 6, three days after the Nov. 3 midterm. That means the September report, released Oct. 2, is the last official snapshot of the job market Americans will see before they vote. It deserves a careful read, not a spin. The headline numbers Unemployment rate: 4.2%, up from 4.1% in August. BLS says it has stayed in a narrow range of 4.1% to 4.3% since March. Jobs added: +29,000, below the average monthly gain of 45,000 over the prior 12 months. Unemployed Americans: