US midterms: What you need to know

US midterm elections are nationwide elections for Congress held halfway through a president's four-year term. Voters choose representatives and some senators, rather than choosing a president. The timing creates a midpoint check on the administration. It can change which party controls lawmaking in Washington.

All 435 House seats are contested, while about one third of Senate seats are elected every two years. This year, 35 Senate seats are on the ballot. Some states also elect governors. Congress matters because most federal political decisions must receive congressional approval before implementation.

Midterms also measure public satisfaction with the president and the party in power. J. Miles Coleman called them “often a referendum on the president.” Republicans currently control both chambers, but narrowly. Observers expect Democrats could take the House, making President Donald Trump's agenda harder to advance.

Americans are voting for all members of the House of Representatives and for some members of the Senate. Each House member represents one electoral district. Senate elections happen on a rotating schedule, so only some states vote for a senator in any given midterm. This year, 35 Senate seats are up for election.

Voters in 36 states are also choosing governors. Governors usually serve four-year terms and can strongly affect daily life because states decide issues such as abortion law, education, and electoral procedure. These state contests are separate from the congressional elections, but they occur on the same midterm ballot.

The current elections could change power in Washington and in state governments. Republicans hold both congressional chambers, while Democrats are expected to compete strongly for the House. A Senate race in Texas is unusually important, and Minnesota's contest could make history if a Black woman becomes governor.

The House of Representatives has 435 seats, and every one is being contested in these midterms. Seats are distributed among states according to population, with each member representing one electoral district. Larger populations generally bring more districts, while less populous states may have only one House seat.

The Senate has 100 seats, with two assigned to each of the 50 states regardless of population or physical size. Senators serve staggered six-year terms, so roughly one third of the chamber is elected every two years. This year, 35 Senate seats are being contested, meaning some states will not elect a senator.

The contrast gives voters two different forms of representation. New Jersey has 12 House seats, while Wyoming has one, despite Wyoming being larger by area. Both states still have two senators. The results could alter the narrow Republican majority in both chambers.

The House and Senate represent states differently and use different election cycles. House members serve two-year terms and each represents one electoral district. The 435 districts are allocated according to population, so states with more residents receive more House seats.

Senators serve six-year terms and represent their entire states. The Senate has 100 members, with two senators for every state. Senate elections are staggered, so roughly one third of the seats are contested every two years. In these midterms, 35 Senate seats are on the ballot.

The system combines population-based and equal state representation. New Jersey has 12 House seats, while Wyoming has only one. Yet both states have two senators. This means House elections can reflect population changes more directly, while Senate control changes more gradually. Republicans currently hold 53 Senate seats, compared with 45 Democrats and two Democratic-aligned independents.

Midterm elections can act as a referendum because voters use them to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the president's performance. They are not presidential elections, but they arrive midway through the administration. That makes them a major opportunity to support the governing party or demand a change in direction.

J. Miles Coleman, an election analyst, said midterms are “often a referendum on the president and party currently in power.” When people are content, the president's party tends to perform better. When dissatisfaction dominates, the opposing party can gain seats in Congress and block the administration's plans.

The article presents President Donald Trump's approval ratings as currently at a record low. Republicans control both chambers, but their margins are slim. Observers think Democrats are likely to win the House. Such a result would show voter dissatisfaction and give Democrats greater power over federal policy, even without changing the presidency.

If Democrats win either chamber of Congress, President Trump would face more resistance to his policies. The article says most federal political decisions require congressional approval before they can be implemented. Congress therefore acts as a major limit on presidential power, even though the presidency has significant executive authority.

A Democratic House could block or reshape measures before they move through Congress. A Democratic Senate could prevent approval there. If Democrats controlled both chambers, they could make changes to domestic and foreign policy considerably more difficult. The president would still hold the presidency, but Congress would control whether many proposals advance.

Republicans currently have narrow majorities. The House has 218 Republicans, 214 Democrats, one independent who usually votes Republican, and two vacancies. The Senate has 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats, and two Democratic-aligned independents. Democrats need four additional seats in either chamber for a majority, according to the article.

The US system divides political power so that the president cannot make most federal decisions alone. The president has significant executive power, but Congress must approve the majority of federal political decisions before they can be implemented. Congress consists of the House and Senate, whose majorities can support or resist the president's program.

The article also shows a separate division between federal and state authority. States make important decisions about abortion law, education, and electoral procedure. Governors lead state governments, so an election can change policy even when control of the White House stays the same. In the Senate, the vice president can decide a deadlocked 50:50 vote.

This structure makes elections for Congress and governor consequential. Republicans currently control both congressional chambers, helping President Trump govern as he chooses. If Democrats take one or both chambers, federal policy becomes harder to change. Different state results could also produce different rules across the country.