November 5, 2002 (Tuesday)
- Embattled U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissioner Harvey Pitt tenders his resignation.
- Election Day: In the 2002 midterm elections, Republicans receive a net gain of two seats of the closely divided U.S. Senate, retaking control of the body. The Republicans also retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives, with a net gain of eight House seats. Democrats make some gains in the state governors' races, with a net gain of three governorships.
- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon dissolves the Knesset and calls for elections early the next year.
- UK Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith made what was widely considered to be a disastrous speech where he demanded that his party "unite or die"; observers believe that this marks the start of a new leadership struggle within the Conservative Party.