Guides, explainers, and analysis about how U.S. government works — and how to make yours work for you.
10 articles in "Civics 101" · Page 1 of 2
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.
One chamber has 435 members up for re-election every two years. The other has 100 members serving staggered six-year terms. That single structural difference explains almost everything about how the two actually behave.
Every House seat. A third of the Senate. Roughly three dozen governors. And that's before you even get to your state legislature and the ballot measures near the bottom of the page. Here's the full scope of what's actually being decided on November 3, 2026.
Your U.S. Representative votes on national defense and federal taxes. Your state legislator votes on your driver's license rules, your kid's school funding, and whether your rent can be raised without notice. Most people can name the first and have never heard of the second.