Illustration of a hand putting a ballot in a voting box. Text: Midterm Elections

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5 Big Questions About the Midterm Elections

Chances are you’ve seen a lot of ads recently for people running for office on November 8. Here’s what you need to know. 

1. Will Americans be voting for president on Election Day?

No, the midterms take place in the middle of a president’s four-year term. Voters won’t be picking a president, but they will choose many other important leaders. That includes many of the people who will represent them in the U.S. Congress.

Congress has two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. On November 8, voters will choose representatives for all 435 positions, called seats, in the House. In the Senate, 35 out of 100 seats are up for grabs. 

Many seats in both chambers are held by people who have been reelected multiple times and are expected to win again. But some races don’t have a clear front-runner.

2. What exactly does Congress do?

Congress is the lawmaking branch of the U.S. government. Members of Congress meet in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Their main job is to write, debate, and pass bills, or proposals for new laws. Bills that are passed by Congress may then be signed into law by the president.

Congress Up Close

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Senate

  • 100 senators
  • Each senator is elected to a six-year term. 
  • Each state elects two senators. They represent a whole state. 

 

House of Representatives

  • 435 representatives
  • Each representative is elected to a two-year term. 
  • Each state elects at least one representative, who serves the people in a particular district within a state. States with larger populations have more districts—and more representatives. 

3. Why are the midterm elections important? 

The midterms determine which political party controls Congress. The two main political parties are the Democrats and the Republicans. Each party wants to win a majority of the seats in the House and the Senate.

Democrats currently control both chambers. President Joe Biden is also a Democrat, so the bills he supports have a better chance of becoming laws. But that would likely change if Republicans were to gain control of one or both chambers of Congress.

“The midterms are really important because the president can’t act on his own,” says Kyle Kondik. He’s an expert on politics at the University of Virginia. “He needs to work with the House and the Senate.”

The midterm elections serve as a kind of report card for the president. If Americans disapprove of the job he’s doing, his party will likely lose seats in Congress.

4. Are any other elections happening on November 8?

Voters in 36 states will also elect a governor, the head of their state government. Across the country, people will cast their ballots for candidates in hundreds of state and local races as well. 

Kondik says it’s important to pay attention to those races. After all, the government of a city or town is often in charge of things like public libraries, fire departments, and local parks.

“People sometimes overlook the important function of their local government,” he says.

Map It Out

This map shows the big elections taking place on November 8. The number in each state indicates how many members it elects to the House of Representatives. Which big races are happening in your state?

Jim McMahon/Mapman®; Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Ballotpedia

5. What issue is most important to voters right now?

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One of voters’ main concerns is inflation.* The cost of food and many other items has gone up sharply in the past year. A lot of Americans are struggling to pay their bills. Democrats and Republicans tend to disagree on how to handle this and other problems.

That’s why it’s important for people to decide whose ideas they support—and to vote. Kids can help by encouraging the adults in their lives to do so.

“Voting is how you register your opinion,” Kondik says.


*See the August 29 issue of Scholastic News for more about inflation.

1. Based on the article, why do you think these elections are called midterms?

2. According to the article, why are midterms important?

3. How are the two chambers of Congress alike and different?

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