United States midterm elections

Regular federal and state elections held in November of even-numbered years at the midpoint of a presidential term, in which all House seats and about one-third of the Senate are newly elected.

United States midterm elections

Overview

The United States midterm elections are regular federal and state elections held in the second year, the midpoint of a four-year presidential term. All members of the federal House of Representatives, about one-third of senators, and many governors and state legislators are newly elected at this time. Because they are held in years without a presidential election, they serve as a midterm assessment of the incumbent president's administration, and depending on the results, they become a political watershed that determines the legislative and budget negotiation structure for the following two years.

Key details

Definition and constitutional basis

Article I of the U.S. Constitution stipulates that House members serve two-year terms and senators six-year terms, and designed the Senate to be replaced in staggered thirds. For this reason, all 435 House seats are newly elected in every midterm election, while 33-34 Senate seats are up depending on the election cycle. The different term cycles for the president and House were intended at the founding to strengthen separation of powers and mutual checks and balances.

Election schedule and procedures

Under an 1845 federal law, federal election day is fixed as the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every even-numbered year. The 2026 midterm elections will be held on November 3. Each state operates early voting, mail voting, automatic voter registration, ID requirements, etc. differently under its own election laws, and some states, such as Georgia, hold runoff elections when no candidate wins a majority. In recent years, the share of mail and early voting has increased significantly, making it common for vote counting to take several days.

Offices elected

Federal House: all 435 seats (two-year terms)
Federal Senate: 33-34 of 100 seats (six-year terms)
Governors: elections usually held in 36 states
State legislatures: state senators and representatives elected in most states
Other: state executive offices such as attorney general, treasurer, and superintendent of education; mayors and local councils
Ballot measures: policy items such as abortion rights, minimum wage, and marijuana legalization

Historical trends

The party in power loses seats in midterm elections overwhelmingly often. Since World War II, the president's party has lost an average of more than 20 House seats. Representative examples include the Republican 'Republican Revolution' of 1994, the Tea Party wave of 2010 (Republicans gained 63 House seats), and the Democratic 'Blue Wave' of 2018 (Democrats gained 41 House seats). On the other hand, 1934 (support for the New Deal), 1998 (backlash amid the Clinton impeachment), and 2002 (security issues after 9/11) are recorded as exceptions in which the party in power actually performed well.

Political significance of election results

If the majority party changes in either or both chambers in a midterm election, the legislature and executive enter divided government, making it easy for bills to be blocked and for budget and debt-ceiling negotiations to deadlock. In addition, the House majority party can exercise committee investigative powers and the power to impeach, greatly strengthening checks on the president. Conversely, if the governing party retains both chambers, it gains momentum to pursue major policies.

Latest trends (2024-2025)

In the 2024 presidential election, Republicans secured both the White House and the Senate and retained their House majority, making the 2026 midterm elections even more of a midterm assessment of the second Trump administration. In 2025, redistricting competition emerged as the biggest issue. When Texas Republicans passed a new federal House district map in August aiming to gain up to five seats, California responded by holding a ballot measure (Proposition 50) on November 4 and approved districts favorable to Democrats. Similar attempts continued in Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina, and elsewhere, spreading a 'district war' nationwide.

In the November 2025 Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections, Democratic candidates won, highlighting the possibility of a Democratic rebound ahead of the midterm elections, and ballot measures held in several states that year also drew attention for items related to redistricting. Voter concerns are diversifying to cost of living, prices, housing, immigration enforcement, tariff policy, federal workforce cuts, and AI regulation. At the same time, lawsuits over stricter voter registration requirements and restrictions on mail voting are underway in several states, so procedural issues in the 2026 election are also growing.

The 2026 midterm elections will be held on November 3, with all 435 House seats, 33 Senate seats, and 36 governorships at stake. The key points to watch are how expanded early voting, political polarization, and the spread of social media and AI-based campaigning will affect turnout and results.