Guides, explainers, and analysis about how U.S. government works — and how to make yours work for you.
28 articles · Page 1 of 6
Democrats won both chambers of Congress and flipped governorships in Texas, Ohio and Iowa, taking seats in places that hadn’t elected them in decades. Here’s what drove the upsets and what they mean for the next two years and 2028.
For years I told myself my single vote would never change anything. Then I looked at how many elections are decided by a handful of votes, and at how many decisions affect my daily life. Voting is the most important thing I can do as a citizen, and I was wrong to dismiss it.
Ahead of the November 3 midterms, polls show voters agree on one thing above all: the economy and the cost of living come first. Beyond that, the two parties' voters diverge sharply on health care, immigration, crime, and the future of democracy.
On November 3, voters will decide who controls Congress for the next two years. With razor-thin margins, redrawn maps, record spending, and a president's party facing historical headwinds, the 2026 midterms could shape the final stretch of this presidential term
A governor can command the National Guard, pardon a prisoner, and freeze state spending overnight — but can't pass a single law or raise a single tax without the legislature's sign-off. Here's where that line actually falls.