A U.S. midterm election is the even-year federal election held halfway through a president’s four-year term. Every seat in the House of Representatives is contested, about one-third of Senate seats are up, and state and local races depend on each jurisdiction’s calendar. Voters do not elect a president in a midterm.
What makes an election a midterm?
“Midterm” describes the election’s place in the presidential cycle: it takes place two years after a presidential election, midway through the president’s four-year term. Federal House elections occur every two years in even-numbered years; presidential elections occur every four years. The federal election day for House elections is the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Federal law sets that date.
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The label does not mean that every state uses the same schedule or puts the same offices on the ballot. Midterms include federal congressional contests, and may also include state and local races.
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Which seats in Congress are on the ballot?
House of Representatives: every seat
All House seats are contested in every regular federal election, including midterms. The Constitution provides for House members to be chosen every second year. The U.S. Senate’s constitutional reference reproduces that requirement from Article I, Section 2.
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Senate: a rotating share of seats
Senators serve six-year terms, divided into three classes whose elections are staggered. As a result, approximately one-third of Senate seats are contested in each two-year federal election cycle. A state may have a Senate race in a particular midterm, but not every state does. The Senate explains its terms and election classes.
When new congressional terms begin
Under the Twentieth Amendment, congressional terms begin at noon on January 3. That start date is separate from the November election date.
Are governors and state legislators elected in midterms?
Sometimes. State constitutions and laws set state-office election schedules, so a midterm ballot may include a governor, state legislators, or neither. Most state-official elections coincide with federal elections, but Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia hold their regular statewide elections in November of odd-numbered years. Special elections to fill vacancies can take place outside regular cycles. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission and NCSL describe these variations.
State legislative terms are two or four years, and the chambers in a state need not all follow the same schedule. For 2026, the National Conference of State Legislatures reports regular legislative races in 46 states and 88 of the 99 state legislative chambers. It lists 6,139 of 7,386 state legislative seats—83%—as scheduled for regular election that year; that count excludes special elections. Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia had held their regular legislative elections in 2025. NCSL’s 2026 state-and-chamber schedule provides the breakdown.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to tell what will be on your ballot
- Check the election authority for your state or territory. Use it to confirm the election date, candidates, ballot questions, and statewide offices.
- Check your local election office as well. Local jurisdictions may administer elections and can provide details such as polling locations, local offices, and voting options.
- Verify registration and deadlines for your location. Registration requirements and deadlines vary. USAGov says every state except North Dakota requires voter registration and notes that some state deadlines can be as much as a month before an election. Consult its state-by-state voter registration deadline guide and confirm current rules with your election office.
Election administration is distributed across more than 8,000 jurisdictions, according to the EAC and NCSL’s 2025 guide. Federal law sets standards, while state constitutions, statutes, and regulations direct much of how elections are conducted; states may delegate some responsibilities to local government. The EAC summarizes this relationship in its overview of federal election laws.
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Midterm election facts at a glance
| Office or election | Typical midterm pattern | What determines the ballot |
|---|---|---|
| President | Not elected in a midterm; presidential elections are every four years. | The presidential election cycle. |
| House of Representatives | All seats are contested every two years. | Federal law and the regular even-year election calendar. |
| Senate | Approximately one-third of seats are contested every two years. | Six-year terms divided into three staggered classes. |
| Governor | May be on the ballot; not every state holds its regular governor election in a midterm year. | State constitution and election laws; special elections may also occur. |
| State legislature | May be on the ballot; chamber schedules and terms differ by state. | State law and the chamber’s election cycle. |
| Local offices and questions | May appear alongside federal or state contests. | Applicable state and local election calendars and rules. |
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